Painful gums

What causes it?

Suffering from painful gums is very annoying. This is a symptom that your gums are not completely healthy. A visit to the dentist or dental hygienist is an important step in this. With the right care, worse problems can be prevented. There are many causes of sore gums. That’s why it’s so important to have a dentist or dental hygienist look at it.

Possible causes of sore gums:

  • Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis
  • Canker sores
  • Gingivitis
  • Ludwig’s angina
  • Periodontitis

 

Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis

If you suffer from acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis then you not only suffer from painful gums but also other symptoms. Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis is a serious gum infection and is also known as a trench mouth. Fortunately, the infection is fairly rare, but when you suffer from it, you obviously have little use of this information. If you are affected by this, you should contact our dental office as soon as possible. With antibiotics and special mouthwash we try to relieve the pain before the red gum tissue is removed. This reduces dental pain and helps to speed up healing. Common symptoms of acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis are:

  • Painful gums
  • Severe mouth pain
  • Red gums
  • Bloody gums
  • Bad breath

Canker sores

A fairly harmless condition such as mouth ulcers is still fairly common. The toothache disappears, just like the ulcers usually within three weeks. Canker sores are white mouth sores with a red border. It is wise to leave acid, salt and spicy food in this period. The ulcers are non-contagious. When the ulcers are very large and painful it is best to make an appointment with our dentist.

 

Gingivitis

Gum disease, also known as gingivitis, is the most common cause of dental pain. If you suffer from inflamed gums, it is best to have this fixed by our dental hygienist with a professional dental cleaning. If you do not treat this, it can lead to periodontitis and eventually the failure of some teeth. Gum inflammation is in many cases due to improper and timely cleaning of the teeth and gums. This creates dental plaque and tartar. These breeding grounds for bacteria affect your gums and teeth. Gingivitis and cavities can result in this.

The symptoms of gingivitis are:

  • Painful gums
  • Swollen gums
  • Red gums
  • Bloody gums

 

Ludwig’s angina

Another infection is Ludwig’s angina. This annoying and in some cases life-threatening condition is an infection of the soft tissue under your tongue and in the back of your mouth. This can lead to breathing problems due to the swelling that occurs. The cause can be an inflammation of the tooth roots. This is a dangerous infection and requires direct contact with our dental practice.

Symptoms of Ludwig’s angina are:

  • Toothache pain
  • Drool
  • Neck pain
  • Red spots in the neck
  • Swollen neck
  • Swollen tongue
  • Cold shivers
  • Fever
  • Problems swallowing

 

Periodontitis

As previously indicated, the non-treatment of gingivitis leads to periodontitis. Periodontitis is the next phase of gum disease. The further the inflammation progresses, the greater the damage to your teeth. There will also be space between your teeth and gums in this phase. If this is not treated for too long your teeth will become loose and eventually they will fall out. As soon as you think you are suffering from a gum disease or periodontitis, make an appointment with our dental hygienist as soon as possible. If you keep going, this can lead to serious problems.

The symptoms of periodontitis are:

  • Painful gums
  • Swollen gums
  • Red gums
  • Bloody gums
  • Receding gums
  • Bad breath
  • Pain when chewing