Swollen under gums
A lump or swelling beneath the gum can come from trapped food, gum disease, an erupting tooth, or a dental infection.
The short answer
Swelling beneath the gum needs an examination because it may be irritated gum tissue, an erupting tooth, or an infection from a tooth or gum pocket. The treatment depends on whether the source is plaque, trauma, a cavity, or a blocked eruption path.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
A gum lump may be soft or firm, tender or painless, and localised beside one tooth or spread across several teeth. A pimple-like bump can be a draining sinus from an infected tooth, while a flap near a back tooth can occur during eruption.
What can you do next?
Brush gently around the area and floss to remove trapped food, but do not puncture, squeeze, or repeatedly press the swelling. Use warm salt water for short-term comfort and note changes in size, pain, taste, or drainage.
When should you seek dental care?
Arrange a dental examination soon for a swelling that persists, recurs, drains, or is linked with tooth pain. Seek urgent care for fever, rapidly spreading swelling, or difficulty opening the mouth, swallowing, or breathing.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask whether the swelling comes from the gum, the tooth root, or an erupting tooth and whether a dental radiograph is needed. Ask whether cleaning, drainage, a filling, root canal treatment, extraction, or gum treatment is indicated.
Frequently asked questions
Can a gum abscess disappear on its own?
Drainage may reduce pressure while the infection remains, so the tooth or gum source still needs assessment.
Is a painless lump harmless?
Not necessarily. A painless or recurring lump still needs examination to identify its tissue and cause.