Swollen Gum After Eating Something Hard. Could It Be Infected?

Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

As you described, your gums are swollen due to the trauma from hard food bite.

This can be due to-

- The food particles stuck in the gums below the interdental area.
- The tooth may be broken causing trauma to the gums.

The swollen gums may be already periodontally compromised causing gum infection very rapidly.
Deep dental caries associated with the tooth can also cause sticking of food and thereby gums swell due to periapical infection.

I would suggest you to get a thorough cleaning done by a dentist as it can help to find the origin of affected area.

If tooth is fractured, an x-ray has to be taken to check any underlying periapical infection.
Restoration/root canal treatment has to be done if required.
Meanwhile brush your teeth using soft interdental toothbrush to remove the food stuck in between your teeth.

To relieve the pain for a while, you can apply anesthetic gel ,ie, dologel on the affected site.
If the tooth is infected, an x-ray and clinical check-up will surely help to find out the cause and it can treated accordingly.

Please do not use sharp objects like toothpicks, hairpins, safety pins on the injured area as it can worsen the condition.

Hope I clarified your concern.

Please feel free to ask if any other queries you have.

I wish you good health.
DR XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

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Hi,

Thanks for your response.

Salt water gargle can give a temporary relief.

As you described, the affected tooth was decayed and got filled.
So the chance of fracture is high as the tooth is brittle.

A direct clinical as well as radiological check-up will help to decide whether the tooth can be saved or not.

As I mentioned above, either tooth has to be re-filled or root canal treated.

Last option is removing the tooth if it cannot be saved. If there is no adjoining teeth, you have to go for removable denture.

Complete denture obviously will not be as comfortable as natural teeth.

But if you do not have enough teeth to chew food to digest, it can affect your physical health.

So, depending on the condition of your remaining teeth and bone support,you can go for treatment options as I mentioned above in detail.

Please close discussion if I clarified your doubts.
Thanks.
DR XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

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Hi,

Apply the gel on the affected area as I mentioned in the first part of answer,

and brush your teeth as I mentioned above.

If pain persists,analgesics like diclomol can be taken for a while.

Hope this clears.

Take care.

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HI,

As I mentioned, apply dologel on the affected site.

Tablet diclomol is a combination drug of diclofenac and paracetamol, which is a pain reliever. This can be taken after food.

Hope this helps.

I wish you good health.

DR XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

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Hi,

I am not sure if Diclomol is over the counter in US. Alternatively, you can try Panadol or Motrin. Both these drugs are available over the counter in your locality.

Thank you.

DR XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

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Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

Hope you get well soon.

Thanks

DR XXXXXXX XXXXXXX

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