This is a long one I'm afraid.

A couple of years ago a crown broke off one of my molar teeth - I should have got it fixed, but I'm terrified of the dentist and never did. I get toothache on and off in that tooth, and last month it was so bad that I had to go to the dentist. I was told that I would need to have a root canal, but I'm unemployed at the moment and simply couldn't afford it. The toothache has since gone, but there is still a white-ish lump a couple of centimeters above the broken tooth. It isn't painful - it's a bit tender, and sometimes the tooth can be a bit sore when I bite down on it. I believe that the lump changes size - sometimes it's rather small, sometimes (eg. at the moment) it's quite hard and large. I gargle with salt water and also with soluble paracetamol but nothing gets rid of it.

Do you think that this might be something malignent, or is just an infection from the broken tooth? I have essentially been walking around with a tooth that doesn't have a front on it for a couple of years, and the lump itself is close to the broken tooth. But the fact that the lump isn't going down - and sometimes gets bigger - is quite worrying. I admit to being a hypochondriac - a few weeks ago I was convinced that there was a problem with my womb, and then two weeks ago I went to the doctor with what I thought was a melanoma and what was, in fact, just an infected skin tag. However there is genuinely a lump on my gum and it's hard to shake off the worry. I am registering with a new dentist in two weeks time and so will get checked up then, but two weeks is a long time when you're concerned about something!

Hello pythonette

Most lumps are unlikely to be malignant and are related to infections like yours appears to be. But they all need seeing to by your dentist/doctor. So do keep your appointment with the dentist. Let us know how you get on.

Best wishes
Vinod

Thanks for replying Dr Joshi, I suspect is is an infection myself and am definately keeping my appointment this time!