A bump on gum may appear for some reasons. Different types of bumps may occur inside the mouth and may be caused by variety of risk factors. General regions of the mouth that often suffer from bumps include the gum, inner cheeks, bottom of mouth, tongue, and lips. As the most frequently suffered bumps, bumps on gum may occur as a result of gum infection, tooth decay, wisdom teeth infection, or abscessed teeth. Although seems very minor, bumps on gum may indicate more serious problems and thus, need to be treated as soon as possible to avoid further damages.

What to do when having bumps on gum?

Bumps on gum usually appear in the lower jaw toward the cheeks or lips. The most common risk factors to these bumps include gum infection or decayed tooth. The bump may contain fluid discharge or pus, which triggers salty taste in mouth. In adults, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, so that a bump on gum requires immediate attention. Some daily habits need to be reconsidered if you are developing bumps on gum.

• If you are smoking, stop immediately. Smoking inhibit proper blood circulation to the wound site, so that the entire healing process can be interfered.
• Improve your diet. Food sources enriched with high level of antioxidants and vitamin C are crucial for wound healing including gum bumps. Replace high-processed foods with fruits, vegetables, or white fish to promote faster healing.

When having a gum bump, these are things you can do to relieve the caused pain and bring down the inflammation:

• Rinse the mouth with warm saline solution and gargle it where the bump is located. This will kill the infesting bacteria that causes the inflammation.
• Placing an antibiotic pill directly onto the inflamed gum pocket can be helpful in relieving the pain and reducing the swelling. Oral antibiotics may also be prescribed for more precise treatment.
• Applying warm compresses to inflamed cheek due to a gum bump will also improve the inflammation. It also promotes blood circulation to the wound site, so that the pain can be minimized.
• Brushing the teeth regularly with soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride-based toothpaste will also be helpful in eliminating the infesting bacteria that may reside on the gum near the tooth canal. This will minimize the effects and promote faster healing.

Is medical help required?

In some cases, gum bumps are not associated with major health problems, while in some others, this may indicates something to be paid attention to. Medical help should be considered for gum bumps that do not improve regardless all the performed treatments and taken medications. Depending on the main risk factors, some medical treatments for gum bumps you can consider include:

• Dental cleaning called scaling. This treatment removes tartar deposit that is located deeply in the pockets of the gums. It is possible that the gum bumps are caused by these deposits, so that removing it does not only decrease the inflammation, but also remove the causal infection.
• Prescribed medications that involve antibacterial or antimicrobial and antibiotic pills, which help controlling bacteria infecting the gum. These medications can be either taken orally or applied topically.
• If the gum bumps do not respond to any medical scaling or medications, it is important to observe the main possible cause. Gum surgery can be done over the inflamed gum immediately in order to prevent further damage that may lead to more severe infection, tooth decay, or tooth loss. The surgery is done to remove dead tissues from the gum.