Expert: Jeff Dalin DDS - 6/27/2006

Question
My hard palate in the upper part of the mouth, near the rear molars, is swollen and painful to touch. The following link more accurately describes my problem only without the tooth pain. http://www.medhelp.org/forums/DentalHealth/messages/556.html
The pain is not very bad yet, and goes away when there is no pressure on that part of the palate. Any ideas on what this might be and how it should be treated?

Answer
George
I would need to see this in person to give you a definitive diagnosis. One possibility is some sort of abscess. It could be due to a bad nerve. It could be due to some bone loss and periodontal issue. The best thing to do is call your dentist ASAP and get in there for an xray and exam. This will allow the dentist to give you an exact diagnosis. And then you can get it treated and make the swelling go away. If it is a nerve thing, a root canal has to be done. If it is a gum thing, some deep cleaning might help. Antibiotics would not hurt anything either way...would make things heal better. So make that call and get right in to your dentist. Good luck,

Jeff Dalin, DDS