한국어 
简体中文 SYMPTOM · SWOLLEN GUMS
My gums are swollen
Why are my gums swollen and sore when I press on them?
The short answer
Why are my gums swollen and sore when I press on them?
A localized swelling of the gum usually means pus is collecting from a bacterial infection. Common causes are a periodontal abscess in a gum pocket, a periapical abscess coming up from the root tip of a tooth with a dead nerve, and inflammation around a partly erupted wisdom tooth. Medication can reduce the swelling for a while, but unless the source of the pus (tartar, a dead nerve, a wisdom tooth) is removed, it keeps coming back. If the swelling spreads to the face or you have a fever, same-day care is needed.
When your gums are swollen, what are the common causes?
- 01
Periodontal abscess Glossary (Korean) →
When tartar and bacteria in a deep gum pocket cannot drain and pus collects, the gum bulges and hurts when pressed.
- 02
Periapical abscess Glossary (Korean) →
When inflammation at the root tip of a tooth with a dead nerve comes up toward the gum, a pimple-like pus channel forms and the tooth hurts when you bite.
- 03
Inflammation around a wisdom tooth (pericoronitis) Glossary (Korean) →
If the gum at the very back of the lower molars is swollen, opening the mouth is uncomfortable and swallowing hurts, we suspect inflammation around a wisdom tooth.
- 04
Food getting stuck
Where food keeps getting stuck between the teeth, the gum swells again and again. The cause is an opened contact between teeth or a problem with a prosthesis.
- 05
Drug-induced gum overgrowth
Some blood pressure medications, anticonvulsants and immunosuppressants make the whole gum thicken and swell. If the gums are swollen all over without pain, we check your medications.
- 06
General health
When diabetes is poorly controlled or immunity is low, even small inflammations swell a lot.
Come in right away, without putting it off, if
- Swelling spreads to the cheek, jaw or under the eye, or you have a fever
- You cannot open your mouth wider than two fingers’ width
- It is hard to swallow or breathe — go to an emergency room immediately
- The swelling keeps getting bigger over 2–3 days
Call us during opening hours 02-877-2867 · If swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow, go to an emergency room first.
How does Joy Dental Clinic Bongcheon check it?
- 1
We find the location of the swelling (near the gum line or at the level of the root tip) and the tooth causing it with probing and percussion.
- 2
X-rays show inflammation at the root tip, damage to the supporting bone and the direction of a wisdom tooth.
- 3
Pulp vitality testing distinguishes whether the cause is in the gums or in the nerve. Sometimes both are involved.
- 4
In the acute phase, the swelling is first brought down with drainage, cleaning and prescriptions, and treatment of the cause (gum treatment, root canal treatment, extraction) is planned next.
How our equipment works is explained on the equipment page.
Which treatment does it lead to?
- Gum treatment → When a periodontal abscess is the cause. After drainage, the tartar below the gum line is removed.
- Root canal treatment → When a periapical abscess is the cause. Once the inside of the root is disinfected, the pus channel usually closes on its own.
- Wisdom tooth extraction → When inflammation around a wisdom tooth is the cause. The tooth is extracted after the acute phase has passed.
What can I do at home before my appointment?
- Rinsing 2–3 times a day with warm salt water (half a teaspoon of salt in a cup of lukewarm water) helps drainage.
- Avoid hot compresses on the swelling; when the face is swollen, use a cold compress.
- Do not squeeze the pus with your fingers or pop it with a needle. The infection can spread.
- Take prescribed antibiotics for the full period, even after the swelling goes down.
Frequently asked questions
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Q1. Will antibiotics alone cure it?
Antibiotics help reduce acute inflammation, but if the cause (tartar, a dead nerve, a wisdom tooth) remains, it comes back. Treatment of the cause needs to be completed after the swelling goes down to prevent it from recurring.
-
Q2. Something like a pimple keeps appearing and disappearing on my gum.
It is likely a pus channel (fistula). Even without pain, it means inflammation is continuing at the root tip, so the tooth causing it needs to be found and root canal treatment or root canal retreatment is needed.
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Q3. Can extraction or treatment be done right away while it is swollen?
When it is severely swollen in the acute phase, anesthesia does not work well and there is a risk of the infection spreading, so it is usual to bring it down first with drainage and medication and then treat it. Simple drainage is done on the same day.
References
- Papapanou PN, Sanz M, Buduneli N, et al. Periodontitis: Consensus report of workgroup 2 of the 2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions. Journal of Periodontology. 2018;89(S1).
- NIDCR (미국 국립치과두개안면연구소). Periodontal (Gum) Disease
- American Academy of Periodontology. For Patients: Gum Disease Information
※ This page is for general information and does not replace a diagnosis. Causes and treatment differ from person to person, and treatment can have side effects. Last reviewed 2026-09-11 · Director Jeong Jinwoo (board-certified prosthodontist and specialist in integrated dentistry)
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The same symptom can have different causes. After diagnosis, we explain only the treatment that is needed. Contact us through Naver Booking or by phone.
33 m from Exit 1, Bongcheon Station (Line 2) · Directions from Bongcheon Station →