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Swollen, painful gum round wisdom tooth - help?

Judythecat

Judythecat

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2018
Messages
631
Can anyone help, please? Sorry if this is a bit crass to say, but just before my period each month, the gum round and behind my upper right wisdom tooth swells and is tender. I can usually resolve it with interdental brushes and brushing with a baby’s toothbrush, but this month it is actually bleeding, and really sore. I had the matching left one extracted a couple of years ago because of infection in the gum round it, and I am scared this one’s going the same way. The tooth is fully erupted, as was the left one.

Is there anything I can do to help without having to bother the dentist? Is the brushing making it worse? I am also using Corsodyl on a cotton bud round it.

I had a routine checkup at the end of January and all was well. No issues with my gums - my scores were zeros and ones, with one two between the upper right molars. My gums never normally bleed, so this is really freaking me out.

It’s a bit awkward going to the dentist with work because I teach, and I would rather not have the tooth out unless I absolutely have to. (Although the left one came out so easily I didn’t even realise she had done it!)

Thank you for reading, and I appreciate any advice.
 
Hi,

Brushing with the baby brush and the corsodyl routine are great. I don’t have any more suggestions other than seeing a dentist for a definitive solution....
maybe just simple teeth cleaning will do the trick (rather than an extraction).
 
It's not unusual to have gum issues with the hormonal changes during the monthly cycle btw, quite often links to mouth ulcers and bleeding gums...
Nothing gross about a normal biological process!
 
Thank you both so much for replying. It seems less angry today, so I will keep up the Corsodyl and baby brush and hopefully it will settle. I am on three month check-ups because of my atypical facial pain so am due back at the dentist on 24 April. The bleeding just scared me a bit yesterday!
 
Hey Judy, thank you so much for asking this, I had no idea that gum problems can be connected to this. Next time when I get inflamed gums I will pay attention to what time of the month it is happening and maybe finally stop beating myself up for supposed bad oral hygiene...
 
Hey Judy, thank you so much for asking this, I had no idea that gum problems can be connected to this. Next time when I get inflamed gums I will pay attention to what time of the month it is happening and maybe finally stop beating myself up for supposed bad oral hygiene...

It’s funny, I never made the connection until a colleague mentioned it, but I suppose it makes sense - pregnant women get free dental care here because the pregnancy hormones can effect their gums. I asked my dentist who confirmed it was a “thing”. Most months I know what it is and it doesn’t bother me too much. This time the bleeding frightened me.
 
Thank you both so much for replying. It seems less angry today, so I will keep up the Corsodyl and baby brush and hopefully it will settle. I am on three month check-ups because of my atypical facial pain so am due back at the dentist on 24 April. The bleeding just scared me a bit yesterday!
Bleeding is not a good indicator whether an infection flares-up. Pain is a much better indicator.
 
Bleeding is not a good indicator whether an infection flares-up. Pain is a much better indicator.

It’s not painful today, and much less swollen. I wonder if I scrubbed it too vigorously which made it painful. Usually it just gets a bit puffy and resolves with brushing.
 
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