Gum pain

[Sar94]

Hi everyone, i would appreciate any advice on this as I have an irrational fear of the dentist. I noticed yesterday that one of my gums feels sore when brushing (only on one side) and that when pressed gently it almost feels bruised. The tooth does not hurt and there is no bleeding. Could i have brushed too hard or does this sound like a more serious issue that requires a trip to the dentist? I have terrible health anxiety and hate going to the dentist. Views and experiences would be welcome. Many thanks, Sarah.

[MrsN1976]

Have you been flossing? If there is a piece of food stuck under the gum, it could get inflamed. A good dentist will understand your anxiety and be very kind. Checking in could prevent more major problems down the road. Take care.

[Sar94 in reply to MrsN1976]

Thank you for your reply, yes I've flossed and it didn't reveal anything trapped below the gumline. I took extra care when brushing and used salt water rinses last night and so far it feels a little better this morning (touch wood)!

[wobblybee Administrator Pioneer]

🤔 The gum could be temporarily sore because you ate something with sharp edges but didn’t necessarily notice at the time. Try rubbing on Bongela or similar to see if it eases the discomfort.

[Sar94 in reply to wobblybee]

It doesn't hurt when eating/drinking, only when brushing. The tooth doesn't hurt at all just one section of the gum line.

[Ellie-Louise]

I recently hurt my gum near a back upper tooth chewing on something hard, it was so bad and my gum was throbbing so much that I couldn’t bear to eat on that side at all which made life difficult because on the other side at the bottom I am missing a tooth so trying to eat took forever.

But here I am just over a week later and all is pretty much well again, I have just managed to eat my breakfast normally.

Give it a few days and see how you are, you may not need the dentist in the end.

I hope you are going for regular checkups though.

[Sar94 in reply to Ellie-Louise]

Thank you for your reply, i think i may have slipped with my electric tooth brush and cut into the gum slightly. It has happened before but healed over night. Yes I go twice a year, my last visit was in December 2020 and everything was fine.

[Gagsy]

I’m a dental nurse. I would give it a few days, make sure you’re brushing it and flossing it well and see if it improves. If it does then it was likely just irritation/trauma of some kind. If it doesn’t settle could be some kind of abscess so best to make an appointment.

[Sar94 in reply to Gagsy]

Thank you, I'm hoping it's that I've slipped with my electric toothbrush and caught/irritated the gum line slightly. Fingers crossed it will heal itself without the need of intervention.

[maydy7300]

Try out saltwater rinse, apply tea bags and turmeric paste. If these home remedies don't make you comfortable, you should immediately visit your nearest dental clinic to avoid more complications. Lack of dental health and hygiene may cause serious health problems. I too was dental phobic when I enter the clinic and see the equipment. But this is something related my mental fear and anxiety and I fully solved this after my one or two dental checkups from my nearest dentist [ milltowndental.com/ ].