Author of the article:
Soldatova Lyudmila Nikolaevna
Candidate of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Clinical Dentistry of the St. Petersburg Medical and Social Institute, Chief Physician of the Alfa-Dent Dental Clinic, St. Petersburg
The human oral cavity has its own microflora and its own specific diseases arise. Let's talk about one of them - fibrous epulis of the gums: what kind of disease it is, what are the causes of its occurrence, how is the treatment carried out.
Growth on the gum: why it appears and how to treat
A growth has appeared on the gum: what is the cause
Infectious diseases
Non-communicable diseases
Types of growth
Gum cancer
Lump after crown installation
Growth on the gum: how to treat
Which doctor should I contact if a growth appears on the gum?
Normally, the gums have a smooth, pale pink texture. Any change, be it a thickening or a growth, signals problems in the body that cannot be ignored, as they pose a health hazard. Why lumps appear on the gums and how to treat them, we will tell you in the article.
Classification
There are several types of epulis. Each of them has its own number in ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision).
Fibrous (K06.82 - benign neoplasms):
Location area: vestibular side of the gum;
- Round or oval shape;
- Slow growth;
- Surface smooth/lumpy surface;
- Doesn't bleed;
- Wide base;
- Thick consistency;
- Light pink (to match the gum color).
Angiomatous:
- Location area: neck of the tooth;
Giant cell (K06.81 - other specified changes in the gums):
- Location area: alveolar part;
A growth has appeared on the gum: what is the reason?
A lump or growth is a compaction on the gum caused by damage to periodontal tissue, which may appear without any previous signs. Growths appear in people of any age, but mainly in young children, as they unknowingly introduce infection into their mouths. The first thing you need to do when you detect formations in your mouth is to determine the nature of their origin (only a doctor can do this). It comes in two types:
- Infectious. The appearance of cones is caused by the activity of bacteria.
- Non-infectious. Bumps and growths as a result of injury, mechanical or chemical damage.
If a lump has formed in your mouth, you should consult a doctor to rule out possible complications. The doctor will help diagnose the problem and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Cyst
Description
A hard, bone-like compaction of gums under a tooth, up to 1 cm in diameter. Occurs in people with weakened immunity, genetic predisposition, as well as due to acute infectious diseases, mechanical damage to the soft tissue of the oral cavity.
Treatment
Treatment is carried out in the same way as for fibroma - by excision. After surgery, mouth rinses and baths are necessary, as well as repeated visits to the doctor to monitor recovery.
Infectious diseases
| Gingivitis and periodontitis Gingivitis is the initial stage of gum disease, often accompanied by the appearance of a red ball-shaped growth near the tooth. The next stage is periodontitis. With it, purulent discharge is observed, and the lump acquires a grayish or beige tint. |
| Granuloma or cyst When pulpitis is advanced, the inflammatory process reaches the apex of the root, where a granuloma forms. Often this process goes unnoticed by the patient, so he is in no hurry to see a doctor. Over time, the pathology can develop into a fistula - a white formation on the gum. |
| Flux Purulent inflammation on the gums occurs against the background of advanced caries or pulpitis, a poorly treated root canal. At the first stage, minor pain appears; on the second - swelling and redness; on the third, the temperature may rise and the cheek may swell; on the fourth – the pain becomes sharp and throbbing, swelling increases. |
Swollen cheek
Not all dentists tell patients what to do if their cheek is swollen after tooth extraction. Even in the doctor's office, some patients notice swelling on their cheeks. Anesthetic drugs cause not only numbness of the nerve endings, but also swelling - this is normal if the discomfort quickly passes after the end of the operation.
If a tumor appears after dental procedures, about a day or later after surgery, this is a dangerous sign. Pain, swelling and redness are caused by the presence of many blood capillaries in the oral mucosa. But the recovery process in the mouth is also much faster than in the arm or leg. If this does not happen in a timely manner, then the tumor is caused by one of the following reasons.
- Swelling of the cheek tissues that began even before the visit to the dentist. After surgery, such swelling only intensifies, although surgery in this case is not the main reason that the cheek is swollen.
- Removal of a wisdom tooth that has not yet fully erupted. The removal operation severely injures the gums, even if the surgeon is experienced. During the operation, the doctor cuts the tissue deeply, sometimes he has to further expand the wound to get to the tooth. When a wisdom tooth is removed, there is often profuse bleeding below, causing swelling of the cheek within a day.
- High blood pressure. Patients suffering from hypertension are more susceptible to edema than others.
- The patient is overweight. The thick layer of fat on the face is well supplied with blood, which contributes to swelling.
- Suppuration of the walls of the socket and blood clot also lead to swelling of nearby tissues.
If your cheek is swollen after tooth extraction, this does not always threaten your health. If this happens within 24 hours of surgery, it is likely not a problem and will go away on its own. To verify this, the patient only needs to measure his temperature. If it does not exceed 37.5°C, experts consider this a normal reaction to injury caused by surgery. In case of swelling, it is advisable to measure the temperature several times a day to ensure that there is no severe infectious inflammation. The second option is to examine your mouth with a mirror to make sure there is no worsening of the condition.
With the current level of technology development, experts recommend photographing the swelling every day to monitor its dynamics. The following are considered alarming factors:
- long-lasting bleeding;
- bad breath that was not there before;
- the appearance of pus from the wound when pressing on it;
- severe pain when swallowing.
Dentists recommend observing swelling of the cheek for the first 24 hours, but if the condition does not improve the next day, you need to contact the dentist again.
Non-communicable diseases
| Epulis This is a benign formation. It has a stem and a cap. Most often it occurs due to malocclusion, improper prosthetics, and hormonal changes. In the absence of adequate treatment, the tumor can develop into a malignant one. |
| Exostosis A bone growth that occurs against the background of a jaw abnormality - the bone extends beyond its usual boundaries, forming a lump. Most often, the reason lies in a genetic predisposition, less often - as a result of injury or complex tooth extraction. |
| Hematoma As a rule, it is formed as a result of an impact and goes away on its own over time. If there is damage to the tissue, then surgical intervention is necessary. |
Causes: why does a tumor form?
Epulis occurs under the influence of the following factors:
- Injury to the gums through: an overhanging filling;
- edges of a decayed tooth;
- tartar;
- burn;
- bruise;
- poor quality prosthesis.
Types of growth
New growths on the gums vary in shape, size, and method of formation.
- Angiomatous growth. A soft, bumpy, pink growth that grows very quickly. Often reappears after removal. This growth is diagnosed in children aged 10-12 years; as a rule, it does not occur in adults.
- A fibrous growth is a gum-colored lump. It grows slowly and does not cause pain, so patients are in no hurry to see a doctor.
- Giant cell growth. A rapidly growing neoplasm of red-blue color, from which serous fluid is secreted. The lump is easy to injure.
Prevention
There are no special unique ways to prevent dental disease in children. Ulcers on the gums are the result of untreated caries. Therefore, all preventive measures are aimed at preventing caries:
- oral hygiene (make sure your baby brushes his teeth properly);
- balanced diet;
- rinsing your mouth every meal;
- preventive procedures (remineralization, fluoridation; fissure sealing);
- timely dental treatment;
- preventive examinations at the dentist 2 times a year (some experts recommend once every 3 months if the baby already has treated teeth).
Timely dental treatment for children and proper hygiene will help avoid many dental problems. Teach your child to take care of the health of their teeth and beautiful children's smiles will delight you every day!
Gum cancer
This dangerous neoplasm is worth highlighting separately. Mutation cells begin to divide uncontrollably, which is why a red tumor forms on the gum. The disease progresses quickly and over time can develop into jaw cancer.
What are the symptoms?
- General weakness;
- increased body temperature (37 C°);
- loss of appetite;
- constant drowsiness.
The doctor makes an accurate diagnosis after a detailed examination. As a rule, treatment is long and painstaking. With timely medical intervention, the outcome is favorable.
Fibroma
Description
Benign tumor of epithelial cells. Initially, the bumps on the gums above the tooth are small in size and do not hurt. However, mechanical stress and other negative factors can lead to the transformation of fibroma into a malignant tumor.
Treatment
Treatment is carried out surgically. The doctor excises the tumor, applies stitches, and prescribes rinses. Further follow-up visits may be required to monitor the recovery process.
Growth on the gum: how to treat
The treatment plan is developed by the doctor based on the nature of the growth, so in no case should you self-medicate. It is important to understand that if you do not contact a specialist in a timely manner, serious complications can arise.
If the cause is an infection, then it must be removed. In case of periodontal inflammation, professional oral hygiene is performed. If the cause is periodontitis and complicated pulpitis, then first the lump is opened and pus is pumped out of it, and then conservative or surgical treatment is carried out.
If there is no pain, for example, with epulis or ecostosis, then the decision about surgical intervention is made together with the patient.
Diagnostics
The diagnosis is made based on examination by a specialist and histological examination. A differential diagnostic method is used to exclude the presence of hypertrophic gingivitis in the patient. It has similar symptoms to epulis. An x-ray is also used for diagnosis, where, with epulide, rarefaction and destruction of bone tissue due to inflammation are observed.
Recommendations after tooth extraction
To reduce the likelihood of complications, the patient needs to follow simple rules at home.
- The gauze swab applied by the surgeon must be removed from the wound as carefully as possible so that the clot covering the bleeding wound does not accidentally come off. If you carelessly remove the tampon along with the clot, the wound may become infected, which will cause inflammation. It is recommended to remove the tampon 20 minutes after surgery, but not earlier. If the gauze has dried to the wound, you need to soak it with a chlorhexidine solution.
- Pain after tooth extraction is normal. To reduce pain, you can cool your cheek with an ice cube or a cold water bottle. A good folk remedy is to place a coin on the outside of your cheek. The cold cannot be kept for long, 10 minutes is enough. After an hour break, the cold manipulation can be repeated.
- It is not recommended to rinse your mouth immediately after surgery. You can resort to rinsing no earlier than 6 hours after tooth extraction.
- You should not eat for 2 hours after surgery. Until the wound has completely healed, food taken should be warm. You need to refrain from spicy and salty foods - this causes irritation of soft tissues.
- On the day of surgery, you should not drink alcohol, which dilates blood vessels and increases bleeding.
- You can smoke only three hours after surgery.
- Any medical procedures in the mouth can be resumed no earlier than 8 days after tooth extraction.
- After surgery, it is not advisable to touch the wound with your fingers or tongue, visit the sauna, or take a hot bath. Heavy physical activity and stressful situations are undesirable during the rehabilitation period.
- It is prohibited until the wound has healed to brush your teeth on the side of the dentition where the amputation was performed.
No dentist guarantees 100% that the patient will not have complications after tooth extraction. The result depends not only on the professionalism of the surgeon, but also on the characteristics of the patient’s body. If there is prolonged (more than a day) swelling, redness, severe pain and bleeding, you should seek medical help.
