What causes gum pain?

Gum pain and gum diseases are increasing problems nowadays, but most patients do not know that gums can also get sick. Since people do not know that gums can get sick, they are often neglected as non-important since they “are not part of the teeth”. Gum pain does not mean that there is a gum disease, but it is a strong possibility that there is an underlying bacterial problem if someone has chronic gum pain.

Ignoring gum pain and other symptoms can be dangerous since there can be an underlying problem that can cause many problems if not treated soon enough. In this article, we talk about the most common causes of gum pain and when to visit your dentist.

Gum pain causes

As stated before, there can be multiple causes of gum pain. However, the most common ones are the following:

Smoking and chewing tobacco

Smoking and chewing tobacco weaken the body’s ability to fight infections. Also, smoking decreases blood circulation, which can translate to gum pain. 

Health problems

There are health problems that can cause gum pain and gum diseases. These health problems include diabetes, hormonal problems (this includes women on birth control), heart diseases, and more.

Bad brushing and flossing habits

This is the most common cause of gum pain. When people stop brushing and flossing their teeth as recommended bacteria tend to build up in the gums. Bacteria transform sugar into acid, which can cause pain and a reddish color on the gums. 

Therefore, you need to brush your teeth three times a day and floss before going to bed. You can refer to these past articles from Somos Dental to learn how to brush and floss correctly.

Gum disease

If there has been chronic gum pain due to any former causes, there can be undiagnosed gum disease. Gum diseases can cause serious problems if they are not treated on time, including tooth loss. There are two types of gum diseases, gingivitis, and periodontitis; you can read more about them here. It is also important to know that non-treated gum disease can also cause abscesses, which are balls of pus that can cause deep pain in patients.

Gum disease symptoms:

• Bleeding gums.
• Sensitive teeth (due to gum recession).
• Food stuck in gum pockets.
• Bad breath.

Is gum pain a symptom of covid?

There have been multiple research studies that claim that gum pain can be a symptom of covid. However, the link between covid and gum pain or disease is not that simple. The studies that have found a link between them have found gum disease as a symptom of other health problems (such as diabetes).

So, the short answer is maybe. In some cases, covid may cause gum pain and other types of gum diseases; however, in most cases, gum pain is caused by what we just listed before (mainly brushing and flossing problems).

I have gum pain after a filling

Gum pains after fillings are normal. However, if the gum pain has not gone away after one week, you need to contact your dentist to ensure no additional problems. There can also be gum pain around an old crown due to gum recession, which can be fixed by making a new fitting crown.

Now that you know what causes gum pain you may want to treat yourself with a specialist

You can come to Somos Dental. At Somos Dental, we know how to treat gum pain and gum diseases from any cause. You can fill our online form (includes a free appointment) or call us at our number 623-404-9258. You can find us at Desert Sky Mall, Avondale, Downtown Phoenix, Laveen, Mesa, and Camelback.