Lump on gum, sensitive to touch, no pain without touching it, what is it?

[donnieberry]

Lump on gum, sensitive to touch, no pain without touching it, what is it?

I got a deep filling in my 1st molar 3 months ago. I've noticed some sensitivty recently near the tooth and I keep touching it and prodding it ( I know, I shouldn't ). I first noticed sensitivity on my gum about 4-5 days ago, so I kept touching it everyday to see if it’s still sensitive, and it is.

I looked in the mirror today and noticed this lump. Touching it gives a sensitive feeling and pressing it feels a bit bruise like, it feels soft, not hard. It's slightly painful to push on, what is it?

It may be hard to see in the photos, but its positioned directly between my molars at the gun line.

Running my finger across it feels like the bump is a soft texture, and honestly I can’t feel a distinct “bump” with my finger alone, but it’s easy to see in a mirror.

I’m worried that my root has died and it’s actually infection, could it be that?

 

[donnieberry]

Update: It's day 3 since I noticed it (Monday 9am). It's still the same size, nothing has changed, no new symptoms or anything.

I've been using salt water rinses and Corsodyl mouthwash since saturday night to try and help it.

I THINK the tenderness has went down a tiny bit, but thats it.

I've been looking up what an abscess should look like and feel like and it doesn't feel like that (no white/yellow head, no fluid leaking, basically no pain etc)

 

[Gordon]

It's an acute infection, either from your tooth or your gum. It needs looking at by your dentist, it's not a DIY fix.

 

[donnieberry]

@Gordon Thanks Gordon , appreciated!

I have a question surrounding that, if it were the tooth, would it not be lower on the gumline, where the root would be?

I'm saying that based off of the research I've done. I've got the dentist tomorrow at 8am, but I am just terrified they tell me my tooth nerve is rotten and I need a root canal, I can't afford that at the moment!

For the tooth in question, I've noticed no problems with it apart from slight sensitivity when chewing on it from specific angles, and when I tap it, I get a instant sensitive feeling that goes away instantly, it never lingers. That's been the case since I got the filling back in July

 

[donnieberry]

Update: Saw my dentist today, she did a cold test on my tooth that had a deep filling 3 months ago and I felt no cold so she said the nerve is dead and I need a root canal, and the lump is there because my tooth is filled and thats the only place the infection could go.

She didn't do an x-ray, she only had one from 2ish months ago. I still get sensitivity when biting on the tooth however, and when you tap on it, I feel a sensitive feeling.

She has booked me in for a root canal on the 11th, but I want to go private so I can get a more experienced dentist but the wait times are minimum a month or so from now. Am I safe to wait that long?

 

[Gordon]

Yes, you're fine to wait. It's draining quite well through the gum so it should stay relatively quiet for a while.

 

[donnieberry]

Thanks Gordon. Last question, will the lump on my gums stay there then until my root canal is done? I got a private dental consultation appointment booked for the 10th, then my root canal appointment will be some time after that.

 

[Gordon]

Probably, it might fluctuate in size a bit as it drains but I doubt it'll go away altogether.