I have a little red bump on the gum next to the bottom of my tooth. What is it?

Although there are a number of possible causes of red bumps on the gums, most often when a patient asks this question, the patient usually has one of several diagnoses.

One possibility is that the patient has an abcess and it has cause the swelling. If there is a fistula present that is allowing the infection to drain the area around the fistula often looks like red bump,

Another possibilty is that a patient has herpetic ulcer(s) which can first present as multiple tiny red bumps on the gingiva adjacent to teeth, After a short period these 'blisters' burst and leave small ulcers that go away within two week.

Still another possibility is an aphthous ulcer. Aphthous ulcers usually don't look like bumps, but present as ulcers on the mucosa and not the gingiva but can look red and be described by patients as being at the bottom of a tooth. Although these can be painful, they do go away in two weeks and require no treatment.

Of course, if you do discover a red bump at the base of a tooth it is a good idea to point it out to your dentist at your next dental check up and let him or her provide an accurate diagnosis!