Several reasons of gum swelling
There are a number of factors that can cause swollen gums:
1. Gingivitis
2. Drugs induced gums to get bigger
3. Mouth breather
4. Hormones
5. Vitamin C deficiency
6. Diseases
1. Gingivitis
Gingivitis is due to the long-term effects of plaque deposits. Plaque and tartar irritate and inflame the gums. Bacteria and the toxins they produce cause the gums to become infected, swollen, and tender. Without proper brushing, gingivitis won’t go away.
There are several drugs that can cause your gums to get bigger which is called drug-induced gingival hyperplasia. It can cause your gums to look like they are squeezing out of the spaces between your teeth and growing over your teeth.
There are a few categories of drug that can cause this:
· Anticonvulsant : e.g. phenytoin, primidone, valproate
· Calcium channel blockers: e.g. nifidepine, verapamil
· Immunosuppresants: e.g. cyclospori
3. Mouth breather
You may irritating your gums if find yourself breathing through your mouth very often. It is presumed that since the air you breathe in is drying your gums, they compensate by enlarging the blood supply and getting puffier to ensure that they don’t dry out.
Aldolescents that are going to puberty are extremely susceptible to gingivitis.
Pregnant women are very susceptible to gingivitis due to high levels of progesterone (increase the permeability of blood vessels in the gums) in their bodies.
5. Vitamin C deficiency
If you aren’t getting enough vitamin C in your diet, your gums can get really puffy and red.
Ø Diabetes mellitus
Ø Leukemia
Ø Cancer
Ø Sarcoidosis
Ø Wegener’s granulomatosis
Ø Autoimmune disease
All can cause enlarged gums.
