Swollen and painful gum around tooth
A swollen painful gum may reflect trapped debris, gingivitis, periodontal disease, a tooth abscess, trauma, or an erupting tooth.
The short answer
A swollen, painful gum around one tooth can be caused by trapped food, gum inflammation, a periodontal pocket, an abscess, trauma, or an erupting tooth.
Where can swelling develop around a painful tooth?
The swelling may be in the marginal gum beside the crown, a deeper pocket around the root, or a small raised area where infection is draining. Pain with biting or a bad taste can point toward the tooth or tissues around its root, but appearance alone cannot identify the cause.
How will a dentist investigate one swollen painful gum?
The dentist examines the gumline, measures pocket depth, tests the tooth, checks the bite, and takes a radiograph when needed. Treatment may involve cleaning, removing trapped material, a filling, root canal treatment, drainage, or periodontal care.
When is swelling around one tooth an urgent problem?
Seek urgent care for facial swelling, fever, spreading redness, pus, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, or inability to open the mouth normally. Prompt care is also needed when swelling follows dental treatment or an injury.
What should you ask about swelling around one tooth?
Ask whether the swelling is in the gum, periodontal pocket, or tooth root area. Ask what the examination and radiograph show, whether drainage or root canal treatment is needed, and how to prevent food trapping at that site.
Frequently asked questions
Can trapped food cause swelling around one tooth?
Yes. Food pressed into a contact or gum pocket can irritate tissue, though persistent swelling needs assessment for decay or infection.
Does draining pus cure the tooth?
Drainage can relieve pressure, but the source may remain in the pulp, root, or periodontal tissues and still needs treatment.
Keep reading
Who wrote this page
This library is published by Dental Nation, a licensed dental group practising in the United Arab Emirates. Pages are written and overseen by the same clinical team that treats patients in our clinics, and are held to a fixed editorial standard for safety and accuracy.
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and cannot replace an examination. Anything urgent — facial swelling, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding or severe pain — needs a dentist or emergency care now.