My gums are swollen and painful. Will I lose my teeth?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am worried because my gum has been swollen and I was in on and off pain on the left side of my jaw after a filling two weeks ago. Before that two months ago, I had a crown lengthening, and I was supposed to get a crown, but the dentist two weeks ago said it is best to do a filling. Now I have what looks like a pocket or inflammation around the tooth that was placed with a filling.

I saw that dentist today to get it checked, and she said it is the gum inflamed, and that I might need to lose the tooth or see the periodontist who might be able to fix it if it does not heal in a week. In that week, she told me to use mouthwash every day, floss extra diligently, and clean the area. Will this help, or am I in significant risk of losing the teeth? If I have to see the periodontist who did the crown lengthening, what would they do?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

There are two conditions with your teeth, and it might be only due to overhanging filling or due to a pocket surrounding the affected tooth. In that case, you should go to the periodontist first, he will clean the area and give you a better idea of what is happening around the tooth. In the worst cases, it may happen that you will have to get your filling removed and get that tooth root canal treated. But all of this can be clear only after an X-ray. For now, warm water and salt rinse is a good option, no doubt but go to your periodontist as soon as possible.