Swollen Gums

[NICURN85]

Hey everyone,

So for the past day or so I have noticed my gum on the upper arch between the canine and pre molar swollen. It is swollen in between these two teeth. I do not know if this is normal or what while teeth are moving. Has anyone else experienced this? I brush and floss after every meal and I was at the ortho on Tuesday and he said I had been doing great keeping my teeth clean. I don't know if I am brushing to hard or what. This is my first time since I had braces seeing tihis happen. I have been rinsing with a warm salt water rinse and that has seem to be helping out. It just scares me bc it came out of nowhere and I know I am good with my dental hygeine!!! SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!! THANKS!!

[ArchWired28]

I had the gums swollen and bleeding while flossing in between my canines and laterals. I got scared at first but the gum healed in a few days. It is completely ok now. I think it will pass. I suggest you wait for at least a week before contacting anybody about this. In the meantime keep that area clean and be gentle while flossing.

[NICURN85]

Thanks so much ArchWired for your reply. I started using the warm salt water rinses today and the swelling has seemed to start going down already.

[ArchWired28]

Yeah it will. It looks much scarier than it really is. My gums were ok in the morning and in the evening when I brushed I noticed they were swollen. But in the evening when I flossed, that area started bleeding rather bad. I got upset because of this, but thought - I will give it a few days. And yeah it does get better quickly. But I do understand your fears as it does look ugly

[dollface4248]

hey you guys...
i had the same problem with the area between my two premolars....#4 and #5
i floss, brush religiously... just missed out one day of flossing because i was really busy...
unknowingly i flossed hard and it started bleeding bad ...gum swelled up to the bracket and i got so scared.
started the salt water rinse, chlorhexidine mouthwash, attempted to floss again after a few days but it burned really bad.
anyway its been two weeks now and it isnt really helping... i cant floss in between because it starts bleeding alot.
called up my orthodontist she said she will give me a cleaning on next visit, maybe some food is stuck up there..
but im so scared now... looks like gingivitis... i never had such a problem in my whole life ive always flossed...get a cleaning every 6 months...
and this is only between my premolars rest of my mouth is completely fine!!
im avoiding eating on that side..
im just so worried... i dont even know how shes clean up there coz it bleeds and hurts with flossing. plus the floss smells bad.
i am so doomed :(

[BraceFace2o1o]

Normally the gums will be bleed when they are inflamed, caused usually by plaque or food/bacteria etc. I don't think braces themselves cause the gums to bleed though. I cannot say it's because you aren't keeping up a good oral hygiene routine, so maybe something is stuck there that you aren't aware of like a bit of plaque below the gum line so you wont be able to actually see it.

If the bleeding continues then I would definitely mention it to your ortho again and see what they say. I have had few areas of the gum (the triangle piece that comes down between the teeth) look slightly swollen when the teeth have been on the move but they didn't bleed.

Just keep up the flossing! It's so important for anybody but even more so when wearing braces. My gums have improved a great deal since I started flossing. I never used to floss, well, maybe once every now and then... sounds horrid I know! I honestly didn't know it was needed, my dentist never advised me about the importance of flossing and I thought the brushing alone was fine. I religiously started flossing daily a few months before I got my braces and at first my gums would bleed but within a few weeks it all stopped and they have been fine ever since.

[dollface4248]

thanks for your reply braceface!
ive been a religious flosser for 5 yrs before braces...
i think somethings stuck up there...my ortho appt is in on tuesday and i will surely update as to what the problem was!
really hoping for the best coz i cant eat on that side!

[BraceFace2o1o]

plus the floss smells bad.

Reading this it really does sound like a piece of food is stuck somewhere and that's what's causing the smell. It has gone bad and is irritating your gum causing it to become inflamed and bleed. I wouldn't panic, your dentist or orthodontist should be able to clean the area for you and then things should improve after that.

When I first started flossing sometimes the floss would smell bad and the gums would bleed, particularly between my lower right canine and premolar (it was rotated and hard to keep clean)... once whatever was stuck came loose, it was a piece of garlic and it was horrid

I hope you get it sorted

[dollface4248]

i know...seems like some food is stuck due to the bad smell... 18 hours till my ortho appt!
will let u know what happened.hope all is ok by tomorow! *fingers crossed*
thank you so much. ur replies made me feel so much better.

[Kipepeo]

... once whatever was stuck came loose, it was a piece of garlic and it was horrid

Just wondering....um.....how did you know it was garlic??

[BraceFace2o1o]

i know...seems like some food is stuck due to the bad smell... 18 hours till my ortho appt!
will let u know what happened.hope all is ok by tomorow! *fingers crossed*
thank you so much. ur replies made me feel so much better.

It can be annoying when something is bothering us and we have to wait for the appointment. I've been there many times since being in these braces!

... once whatever was stuck came loose, it was a piece of garlic and it was horrid

Just wondering....um.....how did you know it was garlic??

I had eaten some a few days prior and when I dislodged it the smell was a very strong garlic smell a long with just a nasty horrid bad smell LOL yuk!

[gemini4]

It can be annoying when something is bothering us and we have to wait for the appointment. I've been there many times since being in these braces!

Kinda like how these dang SPACERS are bothering me! Thursday can't come quick enough!

[dollface4248]

update for u guys!

alright so today morning was really bad... gum had swollen to two times worse! and also there were 2 whitish bumps on it... (like a pimple)
i totally freaked..it wasnt painful...just irritating and burning sometimes
went to ortho...she gave me a cleaning around the problematic teeth! it was kind of painful at times...id raise my hand and she would stop!
she massaged my gums in that area to drain whatever came out and cleaned real good!

and she also removed the steel ligatures on those brackets and said everything should settle down in 2 to 3 days hopefully!
and told me not to floss for 2 days let the gums heal
told me to do salt water rinses and use chlorhexidine mouthwash and massage gums with my fingers after brushing to drain any remaining stuff

yup! so basically a pocket had formed or whatever...im not in any pain and it looks much better. i am so HOPING AND PRAYING IT RESOLVES ASAP NOW!

[dollface4248]

@ gemini

spacers are the worst...when i got them on day 3 i wanted to literally commit suicide they hurt so bad...by chance i changed my orthodontist because he wasnt very sympathetic and i didnt feel comfy with him...went to a nicer orthodontist ( who is my current ortho) and she took them out and said "we dont use spacers...we use the tubes as they are pain free for the patient"...and basically she hooked me up with the braces without spacers and without the molar bands...

anyway i guess each ortho has their own system

[BraceFace2o1o]

Hopefully things will clear up real soon for you