Question: What causes swelling of the gum around a single tooth?
Explanation: Localised gum swelling around one tooth points to a specific problem at that site rather than generalised gum disease. Possible causes include a periodontal abscess, a periapical abscess draining through the gum, a food or foreign body impaction, pericoronitis around a partially erupted tooth, a cracked or fractured root, or an overhanging filling margin trapping plaque. Because the treatment differs entirely between these, diagnosis is essential. Pulp testing distinguishes an endodontic from a periodontal cause. Radiographs reveal bone loss, fractures, and impaction.
Related Questions:
Should I just rinse with salt water and wait?
Salt water rinsing helps symptomatically and keeps the area clean, but it does not resolve an abscess, remove a foreign body, or treat a fractured root. If swelling persists beyond a day or two, or is accompanied by pain or fever, seek assessment rather than waiting.
Why does the gum swell around a tooth with a dead nerve?
Pus from a periapical abscess at the root tip tracks through bone and perforates the gum, producing swelling and often a sinus tract. The pulp itself has no nerve supply left, so the tooth may not be sensitive to cold, which can be confusing.
Can an overhanging filling cause gum swelling?
Yes. A filling with an overhanging margin creates a plaque trap that cannot be cleaned. Chronic inflammation, swelling, bleeding, and eventually localised bone loss follow. Correcting the overhang and cleaning the site resolves it, provided the bone loss is not advanced.
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