Gum Boils: Causes, Categorization, Symptoms, And Treatment

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Gum Boils

Medically reviewed by Christine Frank, DDS — Written by Scott Frothingham — Updated on March 8, 2019

Symptoms
Treatment
Home remedies
Risks
Takeaway

A gum boil is an abscess that develops on the gums. It looks like a swollen bump and mainly results from a bacterial infection beneath the surface of the gum.

An abscess that develops on the gums is often referred to as a gum boil. They appear as swollen bumps on the gum.

The main cause of a gum boil is bacteria — often from plaque, food particles, or tooth decay — that leads to infection beneath the surface of the gum. Rarely, a gum boil is a symptom of oral cancer.

Based on where the gum boil is located, it’s categorized as one of three types:

in the gum line: gingival abscess
at the root of the tooth: periapical abscess
in the supporting tissues of the teeth: periodontal abscess

Gum boil symptoms

Although some gum boils aren’t painful, most are. Pain is typically the first indication that you have a boil on your gums.

After experiencing pain, you might probe the area with your tongue or look in your mouth using a mirror and find a bump on your gum.

Other symptoms of gum boils can include:

bad breath
bleeding
pus discharge
an earache
swollen gums
sensitivity to hot or cold
nausea
a fever

Gum boil treatment

In many cases, a gum boil is the result of poor dental hygiene. Maintenance of good oral health is the best way to avoid gum boils.

If you already have one, your doctor may recommend taking antibiotics to resolve the infection. This is often prescribed in conjunction with:

a deep cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist if the cause is unhealthy gums
a root canal by a dentist or an endodontist if the cause is tooth decay
an adjustment to dentures by a dentist if the cause is poorly fitting dentures

Gum boil home treatment

Practitioners of natural healing recommend home remedies such as:

gargling with salt water
rinsing the mouth with hydrogen peroxide mouthwash (equal parts 3% hydrogen peroxide and water)
rinsing the mouth with garlic juice
applying clove oil to the affected area
applying tea tree oil to the affected area
applying a paste to the affected area made from:
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Shop for hydrogen peroxide, clove oil, tea tree oil, mustard oil, and turmeric.

Avoiding treatment for a gum boil

A gum boil is an abscess resulting from a bacterial infection. If any abscess — oral or otherwise — isn’t treated, the infection can spread through the bones or the bloodstream to other body parts, which can be life-threatening.

Takeaway

Prevention through a regimen of good oral hygiene practices is the best guard against gum boils. If you find yourself with what you believe to be a gum boil, visit a dentist as soon as possible.

Not only can your dentist identify — or rule out — your gum boil as a potential symptom of oral cancer (if this is the rare cause), but they can also recommend treatment that will deal with any infection, hopefully before it spreads.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(2018). Smoking, gum disease, and tooth loss.https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/periodontal-gum-disease.html
National Institute of Dental andCraniofacial Research. (2018). Gum disease.https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/gum-disease/more-info
Shweta. (2013). Dental abscess: Amicrobiological review.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3858730/

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Medically reviewed by Christine Frank, DDS — Written by Scott Frothingham — Updated on March 8, 2019

Gum Boils: Causes, Categorization, Symptoms, And Treatment

Gum boil symptoms

Gum boil treatment

Gum boil home treatment

Avoiding treatment for a gum boil

Takeaway

How we reviewed this article:

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