Introduction
Pain in the area of the gums can have various causes. In general, a distinction is made between diseases of the gums, including the periodontium, and those dental diseases that only affect the gums. If there is slight pain in the area of the gums, in many cases an optimization of oral hygiene can be sufficient to achieve freedom from symptoms.
However, patients who frequently suffer from pain in the gums or notice additional symptoms such as swelling, discoloration or bleeding should consult a dentist as soon as possible. Gum pain is one of the most common complaints leading to a visit to the dentist. Often an inflammation of the gums is behind it. Gingivitis The most important risk factors for such diseases are smoking, frequent consumption of alcohol and poor oral hygiene. Genetic factors also play a decisive role in the development of pain in the gums
Causes
There can be a variety of causes for the appearance of pain in the gum area. Some of the conditions that lead to gum problems are relatively harmless and can be easily treated. Other causes, however, are more serious and require extensive therapy.
Among the causes are:
- Caries
- Gingivitis
- Exposed tooth necks
- Periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium)
- Poor oral hygiene
- Wrong tooth brushing technique
- Toothbrush with too hard bristles
A possible cause of pain in the gums can be gingivitis. The reason for this is usually a lack of oral hygiene. The inflammation is then caused by toxins produced by bacteria in the oral cavity.
These in turn come from the so-called plaque, dental plaque, and attack the gums. Gum inflammation often manifests itself in occasional bleeding when brushing teeth, as well as redness and swelling. In the early stages, pain is rare.
A distinction can be made between acute and advanced chronic gingivitis. The latter, if left untreated, carries the risk of turning into periodontitis, an inflammation of the periodontium, which in the worst case can lead to tooth loss. Besides a lack of oral hygiene, stress, mechanical damage e.g. by a toothbrush that is too hard, metabolic diseases or changes in the hormone balance can also be the causes of gingivitis.
In many cases, gingivitis can recede and heal due to increased and better oral hygiene. The pain usually subsides after a few days. Periodontitis (often mistakenly called “periodontosis”) is an inflammatory disease of the periodontium.
Periodontitis is one of the most common diseases of the oral cavity besides the common gum inflammation. Approximately every second person suffers at least once during his or her life from inflammatory processes in the area of the periodontium. In general, a distinction must be made between two forms of this clinical picture.
While the so-called apical periodontitis starts from the tip of the tooth root, the marginal periodontitis develops from the edge of the gums. However, both forms lead to approximately the same symptoms (including pain in the gum area). The most common cause of periodontal disease with gum pain originating at the tip of the tooth root is the transfer of bacterial pathogens or inflammatory mediators from a tooth that is dead on the market to the individual structures of the periodontium.
The so-called marginal periodontitis with pain at the gums is mostly caused by the penetration of plaque under the gumline. Gum pockets develop. In contrast to common gingivitis, periodontitis is a more serious disease that requires urgent dental treatment.
However, the risks of these two causes of gum pain are similar. A lack of oral hygiene or inadequate oral hygiene plays a decisive role in periodontitis as well. Other risk factors are the consumption of tobacco products, frequent breathing through the mouth and untreated carious defects.Furthermore, inflammatory processes of the periodontium with pain in the gums can be caused by strong mechanical stress.
If the neck of the tooth is exposed, this means that the gums have retracted. It no longer provides protection for the underlying dentin. There are millions of dentine tubules (dentine tubules) in the dentine, which are in direct contact with the dental nerve (pulp).
For this reason, the affected tooth is very sensitive to cold, hot, sharp or acidic conditions, as the stimuli reach the nerve directly. The pain often manifests itself on touch and can radiate into the surrounding gums. The wisdom teeth are the last teeth to break through in the human dentition.
For this reason they often have too little space in the jaw and can cause pain, swelling or inflammation of the mucous membrane when they break through. Wisdom teeth that have not broken through can cause inflammation of the gums, which in the worst case can spread to the periodontium and lead to periodontitis. It can lead to severe swelling and pain around the crown of the tooth.
In some cases, deep pockets of mucous membrane are formed where the bacteria can settle. It is often better to consider having the wisdom tooth causing the discomfort extracted together with the dentist. Gum pain often occurs during pregnancy.
The pain is usually accompanied by swollen, reddened and sometimes bleeding gums when brushing the teeth. Due to an increased and changed hormone level during pregnancy, the oral mucosa is supplied with more blood. The gums become softer and the bacteria can penetrate the tissue more easily and cause local inflammation.
