Swollen gum after a month around single tooth. Cut my gum flossing.

[Yourbigpalal83]

Its been a while, and i havent been for a cleaning or a checkup in 5 years because of my anxiety and the pandemic. I am long overdue but i brush and floss religiously.

About a month ago i cut my gum flossing too hard not paying attention between two lower front teeth where i have a natural gap. It swelled up and ive been treating it with warm salt water and the swelling has gone down alot, and been running though what to do with ChatGPT and it is ever so slowly getting better but still there and its right under my tongue so it cant help but touch it.

heres an image. It was a lot redder and swollen but its gone down but its taking forever...and idk if thats because i keep hitting it with my tonge. Its not gum disease or any form of infection. it doesnt hurt. Its no longer raw and red, the tooth is not lose or painful and i have no pain.

Im just scared this thing is never going to heal or go away. ChatGPT says im slowly healing and doing everything right but im too chicken (and broke) to see a dentist at the moment.

Whats an actual dentists advice. Thanks.

-Al

 

[Gordon]

I think you need to see a dentist Al, sorry. That looks from here like there may be some foreign matter in the area, you might need some antibiotics to clear it up.
Some of those bigger spaces in your teeth would be better being cleaned by a TePe brush rather than floss, it's easier to use and more effective in bigger gaps.

 

[Yourbigpalal83]

i floosed the area theres nothing under it and theres no puss or anything like a sign of infection. Its not from my tongue constantly hitting it? also theres no pain just annoyance. I dont have a fevor or anything.

Im terrified to see a new dentist...

 

[Gordon]

I don't think you can clean it out with floss. It's most definitely infected. It'll be draining up the side of the tooth, hence the lack of pain.

 

[Yourbigpalal83]

Ok ill try to go by December 1st but it is slowly going down. I dont feel any pain or have any sign of a fever and the tooth feels solid. no movement at all. I also bought those brushes you recomended. Its just right now with the government shutdown and being a week after halloween going to a dentist is going to cost me out of pocket and i might not be able to get an appointment. Also the tooth itself has no decay. Ive been rinsing with warm salt water too.

Chat GPT says i dont have symptoms of an infection and i dont have a bad taste in my mouth. It says its just healed gum that has to even out and even the gum itself is pink and firm.

If i did go, what would they do? cut it open, wash it out, stich it and give me an antibiotic?

 

[Gordon]

Sorry, I forgot you were in the US.
Probably no need for anything so drastic, a little clean around with a hand scaler to get rid of any foreign objects and then a few days of antibiotics should be enough.
The weirdest foreign object I ever found in one of these was a small fish bone

 

[Yourbigpalal83]

Yeah i dont want a simple thing ending up costing a fortune. With the shutdown everythings crazy and they will bill you into an early grave for noting then charge you back tax's on the grave. The swelling is going down and i bought those brushes you told me about off Amazon. Should be here today. Ill use them in the area instead of flossing and see what happens and hopefullly i wont have to see a dentist but if i do ill go as soon as everythings stable...then ill see if i can get an appointment before the end of the year. Worse case if it gets bad ill go in sooner but i just wana be sure of everything first.

 

[Gordon]

I don't think it's going to cause any big issues for a long time, it's draining out nicely. I think you'll like the TePe brushes, much easier on the fingers than floss

 

[Yourbigpalal83]

I am so overdue for a cleaning. I was going to get one early 2020 but the pandemic happened and i lived in a paint resperator for like 18 months every time i went outside and just over time i just kept putting it off. I still brushed and flossed religiously...45 minuets after every meal. What happened this time was i flossing and wasnt paying attention and cut in a c shape right into the gum in the gap between those two teeth. I thought i was along the edge of the tooth and i wasnt.... and now im still dealing with it but the swelling is going down...EVER SO SLOWLY... Also my normal dentist moved to a new office and i got to find out if he takes my insurance. Ugh...im giving this one more week to heal on its own then come monday im making the call if i have to.