Really scared something serious is going on - huge hole in my gum

[MoannaMoon]

Right at the back of my mouth (behind my last molar) I have what looks like a hole in my gum. I have huge dental phobia and I’m terrified of seeing the dentist. Right now I’m also terrified about what this could be. (It’s right next to a tooth that I know needs pulling because it’s badly decayed). Can someone give me any advice? Is it an infection or worse? What will the dentist do when I see them? Thank you

 

[Gordon]

Sorry, that photo is useless. Any chance of another?

 

[MoannaMoon]

Hi sorry I’m struggling to get a clear photo. Is this one any better? It is right next to a badly decayed wisdom tooth that I am hopefully having removed next week. It started off as quite painful but that seems to have died down. (I have been taking antibiotics for another health issue so don’t know if that could have helped). It still looks like a swollen area that someone has stabbed a pencil into if that makes sense.

I know my whole mouth looks quite a state - I struggle with dentists/ dental care for various reasons.

 

[Gordon]

That's fine, thanks for reposting. It's a bit of operculum, the gum tissue over your wisdom tooth. They get a bit inflamed and swollen when food particles get rammed underneath them during chewing. Once they get swollen a bit then the upper teeth start to bite on them leading to the results you have here.
It'll be taken care of by the wisdom tooth being removed, don't fret about it, it's totally harmless.

 

[MoannaMoon]

Hi, @Gordon I hope you don’t mind me coming back to you. I’ve just come home from the dentist and have had a bit of a worrying experience. The dentist said that an X-ray showed a big shadow surrounding that tooth and displacement of the root(?) She doesn’t want to remove it but wants me to go to the hospital for a specialist to review it. My Dad had oral cancer so I’m very anxious about this. I did ask her if it was anything sinister causing the shadow and she said “that’s why we need a specialist to take a look”. She also said it could just be an infection but “that would typically cause pain/ swelling around the tooth” and my tooth is fine.

Is this correct? And could it be something sinister without any other symptoms?

Thank you.

 

[Gordon]

Sounds more likely to be a cyst, they're not uncommon around partly erupted 3rd molars.
If she thought it was anything more sinister you'd have been in the MaxFac clinic yesterday or this morning
The NHS doesn't mess about with oral cancer cases.