Hi guys Im hoping someone on here will be able to help put my mind at rest.

My fiancee is 27 and a non smoker. On the 21st June (just as we were going on holiday) she discovered a lump on her top gum, right above the 2nd tooth on the left. Its about the size of a pea, it looks smooth, and is painless even when pressed. As we were going away we though nothing of it.

Anyway as soon as we got back I made her go to the dentist (7th July) He said her teeth were fine, her gums were healthy, the X-ray showed nothing unordinary but he wasnt 100% sure what the lump was. He said it could probably be 'a build up of tissue? and to gargle salt water and come back in 2 weeks were if nothing had changed he would refer her to hospital.

Well nearly a week later I am now starting to panic, and was just wondering if A) its safe to wait just over a week to go back and B) does anyone have any idea of what this could be? It doesnt appear to be changing or doing anything.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this, I really appreciate it. Daz

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

Hello Daz9

There are several causes for small non-painful soft tissue growths on the gum that can arise from hyperplasia of the normal tissue much like you can get on the skin, often the cause is not understood. It is unlikely to be a mouth cancer but if it doesn't disappear, please return to your dentist who can arrange an excision biopsy to remove it and a histopathological diagnosis made.

You could post a photo here if you like.

Best wishes

Vinod

Hello Dr Vinod, Many thanks for your post. I really appreciate it, I know im probably worrying over nothing. I'll try and upload a couple of photos.

Once again, thanks for taking the time to reply. Daz

Hello again, Ive posted two images on imageshack at the links as below. Sorry I dont know how to make them appear on the forum.

http://img716.imageshack.us/im...02/p161801120710.jpg

http://img708.imageshack.us/im...1699/p1618120710.jpg

Any thoughts you have have would be much appreciated. Thanks again, Darren

Hi

It looks like a bit of localised gingival hyperplasia, perhaps a reaction to trauma or have no known cause, but please return to your dentist for an excision biopsy to remove it as only a histopathological diagnosis can confirm this. Let us know how it goes.

Best wishes
Vinod

Hello again Dr Vinod. Thank you for your opinion, it has helped but my mind at rest for abit. We have made an appointment with the dentist for next Wednesday (21 July) but I think he was going to send her to the dental hospital to have it checked if nothing had changed.

Just out of interest if it is gingival hyperplasia what would the treatment be?

Once again thank you so much, I will let you know how we get on and in the meantime I will stick around and see if I cant help by giving something back to this fantastic forum. All the best Daz.

After a few days of my tooth to the left of my front tooth being very painful to the touch,Now the pain has gone I now have a smooth lump about the size of a small pea above that tooth wich dosn't hurt either its been there for a few days now starting to worry

Hello ianjt

The pea sized lump over the root of the tooth that was painful before but doesn't hurt now is probably an abscess swelling following death of the nerve in the tooth. Please see your dentist for investigation and treatment. Do let us know how you get on.

Best wishes
Vinod