Swollen Gum

JebusUD

So, the gum behind my left, slightly impacted, wisdom tooth is swollen. The part that has swelled is behind the tooth(towards the tongue). This is mildly painful and quite annoying, as it hurts when I chew things or talk. As far as I can tell it isn't a canker sore or some such, but it does feel like a blister of some kind. Or maybe that is just because it is gum, so it feels like it is slightly liquid filled when I push on the swollen part.

Any suggestions, not dentist related, on what to do to make it go away?

I have been thinking maybe some orajel so I can forget about it and so I don't tounge at it or poke at it. Maybe it would just heal itself then?

Magus`

Could be, y'know, gum disease. I would highly suggest at least getting SOMEONE to look at it.

JebusUD

I'll let you look at it if you want.

And unless google image search is just the most super extreme cases, it isn't gum disease. It is only behind that one tooth. Maybe I bit it in my sleep or something, but it has been swollen this way for two days. Because the tooth is slightly impacted, biting it would be easier, since it comes up a bit further than the tooth on that part.

JaysonFour

Could be a pocket of pus. I'd wager it's infected. Biting it open yourself could spread that crap into your bloodstream. That's called blood poisoning. You can die really easy from it.

Leave it alone and go see a dentist.

PolloDiablo

Is there a reason you don't want a dentist related answer? The whole mouth area is kind of their specialty. I'd rather pay for a checkup than risk something going wrong in there.

I'm not at all wealthy, but I'd rather pay than risk something going wrong with me. Maybe could we have a sticky that says, "Some medical problem? Go see a doctor!" since these kinds of threads always need/get that advice.

Movitz

This happens to me all the time (well, not that often anymore since my teeth are almost all through the gum surrounding them by now). Thing is, your wisdom teeth grows in periods. In such a period it will try to push through the gum and cause irritation (this my dentist told me). I just suck it up for ~1 week until it settles.

Buuuuut. This is what MY dentist told ME about MY teeth one time when I was there on a routine checkup and was in such a growth burst. Since no one can actually diagnose you through the interweb. I, like all posters above, strongly recommend you to go see a dentist about it. It might be something you want to catch in time, maybe not blood poisoning but something like your tooth growing in a weird angle and such.

EDIT: Woops, didn't see you said that it felt liquid filled, mine never did. Just go see a dentist dammit.

The Black Hunter

Brush yo teeth a bit better just in case

have you ever had a cavity?

cause I'm tellin you that you'll be brushing like a demon after you get one fixed

rfalias

So, the gum behind my left, slightly impacted, wisdom tooth is swollen.

That kinda sends a flag up.

I bet a dentist says "lets take out your impacted wisdom teeth"

JebusUD

On second thought, I don't think it is liquid filled, I think that is just the way gum feels. No, I have never had a cavity. Yes, I brush the hell out of that particular tooth especially, since it gets stuff stuck in it sometimes. Maybe thats what caused it. I don't want to go the the dentist because, surprise surprise, I have no dental insurance. I would love to take out that tooth, but I also love being not totally broke. The other one isn't impacted, but this one is slightly, so it is harder to brush the stuff out of it. It has pushed one of my front teeth slightly one way, but not enough to even visibly notice or bother me. These teeth stop growing at some time right? Because if it gets all the way in I could just ignore it and it will be fine.

So, I think I am just going to get some orajel and ignore it till it goes away.

Fireflash

I've had a small area of swollen/sensitve gums a few times in my life. Annoying but went away after a few days. Though if the pain gets worse or doesn't disappear after a few days you should absolutely go see a dentist. The longer you wait to get treated the worse and more expensive it will be.

Bliss 101

I've had the exact same situation, and I too did everything I could to avoid going to the dentist. The swelling disappeared pretty fast on its own. Don't poke at the swollen gum with your tongue or anything else, and keep brushing that tooth often, but gently to avoid irritating the gum. Either it will heal, or it'll get worse and you'll be in such pain that dentist and suicide are your only options.