I have a hard swollen red lump about the size of your thumb nail that is very very painful and makes it hard to swallow i know for a fact it wasnt there before i study my mouth all the time since my gums started deterirating 2 yrs ago but i do not have the money to go to a dentist so does anyone have an idea of what this lump could be?

Hi Confused

Unfortunately, this isn't a very good place for diagnoses. Have you burned your mouth lately, or eaten something that was sharp and crunchy? Do you have a pierced tongue? How long have you had this lump?

The best suggestion I can offer is to check out dental colleges in your area to see if they have any kind of low-cost clinics. Failing that, contact your local health department to see if they offer any of that type of service. You could also contact dentists in your area to see if they might be able to work out some kind of payment plan.

Please let us know how this turns out.

Julia