Your mouth is the only part of your insides that you can reach and feel. Hence, detecting any unusual growths in your mouth can be alarming. A common condition people experience is an extra bone above the teeth growing through the gums.
Specifically, the condition is called exostosis and is fairly common and mostly harmless. However, you can not rule out the possibility of anything serious without a proper diagnosis. Make sure to consult your dentist about the situation before making any assumptions. Exostosis bones can be sharp or smooth. Unless the source of these bony spurs in the gums is something serious, the most they do is irritate the tissues around them.
These growths can happen due to many reasons, and pointing out the right one for your condition will require a dentist to look at it. If you are not experiencing any pain due to this bone, then there is nothing to worry about, and your dentist can handle it. But if it is growing and causing pain, then there may be a need for concern.
Why Do These Bony Growths Occur?
There is no specific reason for these growths; however, the causes vary from case to case. Sudden growth could be caused due to age-related issues, dental procedures, periodontal diseases, or some other uncommon reason. This uncertainty makes it even more mandatory for you to get a dental check-up for this situation. If you are experiencing exostosis, some common reasons for bony protrusions on the gums are as follows:
Growing New Teeth
Between the ages of 7-13, it is common for children to lose their baby teeth and have new teeth come in place. The bone growth is usually a tooth that has started growing before the baby tooth in its place has fallen. This causes the teeth to stick out of the gum above the loose teeth. This is a cause for concern because if you ignore it, your child could end up in a lot of pain or unaligned teeth. If you ignore these early growing teeth, you will end up with a lot more trouble and unnecessary expenses.
Periodontal Disease
A periodontal disease such as gingivitis or periodontitis could cause these protrusions to stick out of the gums. As in these diseases, your gums get infected and recede from their original position. As the gums recede due to regular deterioration, the roots of your teeth could become visible. In this case, bony growth is not the issue but a symptom of something bigger. At this point, your dentist will not worry about the growth as treating your gums will become the main focus.
Recent Dental Procedures
Bone spurs are common If you have undergone a recent dental procedure, like a tooth extraction. Your body can generate an extra bone during the healing process. However, if something interferes in the path of the bony growth, it will change directions toward the gums, and you can feel a sharp bone sticking out of your gums. In such a case, the dentist will reduce the bony growth with some dental tools. The procedure is painless and may only take about an hour.
Conclusion
Sudden bone growth through the gums is not something you need to worry about. If you are feeling some pain or irritation, you can tell our expert dentist about it. Getting regular check-ups will ensure that nothing is left unseen. If you need some dental consultancy, please contact Almond dental at our St. Anthony location at (612) 782-7000 or our Maple Grove location at (763) 762-7177.