Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 5/28/2005

Question
I am 23, and I have a wisdom tooth and i think i have had it for years, my question is, you know that extra gum that is right behind it, well i was wondering is it possible for the gum to become swollen 12 hours after eating some Chunky Peanut butter(you know the kinda peanut butter with peanuts in it rather than no peanuts).

Around 12 hours ago, i had some Chunky Peanut Butter and over night i felt that my gum was sore feeling. What i do know is, i can't press my teeth together without bumping into my swollen gum. It doesn't hurt bad, but it does feel sore when i close my teeth down. When my teeth aren't closed together, i can feel a little soreness, but its not painful. It doesn't really feel like in infection even though it is swollen.

I hope you can answer my question, or if you have any question, i will see if i can answer your question so you can answer mine.  

Answer
Dear Sherman81,

There is nothing particularly unique to chunky peanut butter to suspect that it caused your swelling. (Although there are a significant number of individuals who are allergic to peanuts and peanut products, what you have described is not an allergic reaction.)

Although minor trauma due to chewing or the impaction of food around an unerupted wisdom tooth could presumably provoke a flare-up around the tooth, it could have just as easily been while you were eating almost anything else. The primary factors that cause these types of episodes have more to do with the orientation and position of the wisdom tooth and surrounding gum than dietary factors. Consequently, you should not take this experience as a reason to avoid chunky peanut butter, if that is what you like.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS