✋🏼 🛀🏻 🌶️ Epulis on the gum: causes and methods of treatment 🛬 👩🏻‍🎤 👌

The appearance of tumors of unknown origin on the body always worries a person. One of these formations is epulis on the gum. Such a tumor can appear not only in an adult, but also in a child. Interestingly, in women it is more common than in men. Let's look at the nature of this phenomenon, the causes of its occurrence, variety, appearance, symptoms and treatment.

What is it?

Epulis on the gum is a type of tumor formation. The name, by the way, is translated from Latin: epulis - “on the gum”. In the medical world, there are several names for this phenomenon: epulid, supragingival, giant cell central granuloma.

Where does epulis most often occur on the gum? The most common location is the alveolar process of the jaw, the zone of small molars (premolars). Less often it is noticed on the body of the jaw itself. Here most often it is located on the bottom.

If we turn to the international classifier of diseases ICD-10, then there the epulis on the gum will belong to the category K06.8.

Tumor types

Education is found in several main varieties:

Fibrous
Angiomatous.
Acanthomatous.
Giant cell.

Each has its own characteristics - further we will consider them in detail.

Angiomatous formation

For aesthetic reasons, photos of the epulis on the gum are not presented in this article. Let's characterize an angiomatous tumor:

Inside the formation, there is a frequent network of small blood vessels.
Most often found in children 5-18 years old. Risk group - 5-10 years.
Localization: the neck of the teeth.
Outwardly resembles a cluster of small tubercles. In rare cases, the surface will be smooth.
The color of the tumor is unnatural: bright scarlet, bluish.
The foundation of education will be dense and wide.
The consistency of the tumor is solid and dense.
At the slightest damage, the angiomatous epulis begins to bleed.
The tumor is rapidly growing in size. In addition, after its removal, relapse is possible.

Fibrous mass

This epulis belongs to gum fibromatosis, periodontal disease. We list its defining characteristics:

The most “favorite” place of tumor localization is the vestibular (external) part of the gum in the zone of molars.
It has either a round or oval shape.
The surface is often smooth. However, fibrinous epulises with tubercles are also found.
It has a wide base.
The texture is dense to the touch.
The hue of the tumor is indistinguishable from the healthy color of the gums.
The tumor almost does not bleed.
Among other epulises differs very slow growth.

Giant cell formation

A photo of the epulis on the gum would additionally familiarize you with the appearance of the formation, but this is a rather unpleasant sight. Here is a medical description of the pathology:

Most often localized in the alveolar part of the gums.
Adults from 40-60 years suffer from this type of tumor. The vast majority of them are women.
Color - brownish-brown or bluish-brown.
In shape it is a round or oval formation.
Bleeding occurs occasionally. Pretty moderate, not strong.
The surface is hilly.
The patient feels painful sensations both when pressure is applied to the tumor, and when it is otherwise irritated.
The consistency of the formation is elastic and dense.

Acanthomatous formation

Another name for this epulis is peripheral soft tissue ameloblastoma. The most rare tumor of this series. Has the following characteristic:

Painless benign formation.
The germ of teeth will start from the enamel organ.
Forms a kind of horn "pearls".
The most common place of localization is the lower jaw.
After removal, a reappearance of acanthomatous epulis is possible.

Signs of swelling

The line "epulis on the gum" in the medical history - confirmation of the diagnosis. But how do you independently determine that you are facing a gingival, and not a different entity? All forms of epulis have a number of similar basic characteristics:

The size. It can vary from 3-4 mm to several centimeters. It all depends on the clinical form, stage of neglect.
Color. Again, it depends on the type of education. It can be either a natural shade of the gum, or have an unnaturally red or deathly cyanotic shade. Epulises of brownish, brown tones are found.
The form. In appearance, it resembles a mushroom from a children's drawing. Many formations have a leg, to which the wide growing part - the "hat" - joins. The leg can be either thin or expanding.
Consistency. Depends on the type of cells on the basis of which the tumor has arisen. Therefore, the epulis can be either dense, hard, or soft.

Malignant and benign education

The main danger of epulis is that these growths on the gum sometimes degenerate into malignant tumors. Here are some signs that may be cause for concern.

Benign epulis:

The largest size of such a formation is no more than 2 cm in diameter.
Tumor growth is very slow. As a rule, it is almost invisible to the patient - many will only learn about the presence of epulis at a medical examination.
There are no symptoms and complaints.

Malignant tumor:

Develops rapidly and grows in size.
Education hurts, brings discomfort to the patient.
In the localization where the epulis develops, swelling of the gums is noticeable.
The root canals of teeth close to the tumor are destroyed.
The teeth affected by the tumor become loose. Often their displacement is observed.
Bleeding is visible. Moreover, even with the slightest damage - brushing your teeth, eating.

Reasons for education

Why does epulis appear? The main reasons for this are as follows:

Changes in the hormonal plan in the body. Therefore, it is often found in adolescents and pregnant women.
Chronic mucosal irritation in the jaw area.
Systematic trauma to the same area.

The most common of these will be the third reason. It manifests itself mainly as follows:

Hanging area of poorly placed filling, irritating the gums.
The sharp edges of your own tooth, traumatic soft tissue of the oral cavity.
Volumetric mineralized deposits on the teeth themselves.
Pathologically malocclusion. A situation where teeth do not meet with antagonists, but abut against the soft edges of the opposite jaw, damage them.
Poor-quality dentures with sharp edges, protruding fixatives.
Bruise, cut, chemical burn of the oral mucosa.

Causes also depend on the type of tumor itself. For example, angiomatous and fibrous formations occur in response to inflammation, a violation of the integrity of the gums. And giant cell spontaneously form from the jawbone or soft tissues.

Risk groups

Epulis on the gums of a child is a rather rare occurrence. Most often, adults, mainly women, are affected. Attentive to the formed supragingival is in the following cases:

Pregnant women. They are at risk for a giant cell tumor. The reason is the changing hormonal balance in the body of the future mother. Gum injuries can further provoke the formation of a tumor. Due to the unstable hormonal background, the epulis in pregnant women grows faster and reappears after removal.
Breast children. Epulis affects babies during the period when their baby teeth begin to erupt. Most often, in infants there is an angiomatous formation. With its removal, do not pull - the tumor grows rapidly, interfering with the proper growth of teeth. Note that in children it can change from species to species: granulomatous turns into angiomatous, and then into fibrous.
Teenagers. A tumor may develop in response to hormonal changes in the body. In girls, it is sometimes associated with taking hormonal drugs.

Treatment

The traditional treatment for epulis on the gum is surgical. This happens according to an approximate scheme:

First of all, local anesthesia or general anesthesia is used.
The surgeon cuts the gum to the entire thickness of the soft tissues, captures the periosteum near the tumor.
Removal of epulis on the gum - excision of all damaged tissue. If this is a giant cell formation, then it is cut out along with the damaged area of the bone. It is important for the surgeon to do without unnecessary injuries, which can contribute to tumor recurrence.
After surgery, the wound is closed with an iodomorphic swab. If the neoplasm is quite extensive, then suturing will be advisable.

Affected adjacent teeth are removed only in case of mobility of the 3rd degree, exposure of the roots more than 2/3 of their total length.

Treatment of epulis on the gums in a child is best done using modern methods - using laser surgery. This is the most accurate, sterile method that minimizes soft tissue injuries. In the treatment of angiomatous formation, they turn to sclerotherapy. This method is based on the use of a urethane-quinine composition, which is designed to narrow the vessels, thereby reducing the tumor.

Folk remedies

Treatment of epulis on the gums with folk remedies is also allowed. But only at the stage of postoperative rehabilitation therapy. The following recipes help the wound heal faster, accelerate recovery:

Infusion of calendula. Two tablespoons of dry weight are poured into a glass of boiling water. It is better to insist the mixture until the liquid cools completely. It is enough to rinse your mouth every day for 3-4 times until the wound is completely healed.
Infusion of chamomile, sage, eucalyptus. The principle of application is the same as in the above method.
Baking soda. A solution containing this powder will stop the development of inflammation, the formation of pus, and the entry of infections and viruses. It is enough to periodically rinse your mouth with the composition: 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a glass of drinking water.
Saline solution. Prevents penetration of bacteria into the wound, relieves swelling of tissues. A teaspoon of salt is bred in hot water. Rinse your mouth only after cooling the liquid to room temperature.

Possible complications

Most often, removal of the tumor does not bring the patient additional problems. However, the following complications cannot be ruled out:

Re-formation of epulis. Some forms of the tumor are prone to relapse. They also appear with an unstable hormonal background, the continuation of chronic trauma to the mucous membrane.
Postoperative edema. As a rule, this is a temporary phenomenon, which takes place either by itself or after the use of folk remedies.
Bleeding. From the wound for some time, blood, sucrose can be released, which brings the patient some discomfort in the postoperative period. But, again, these are temporary inconveniences.
Suppuration on soft tissues in a wound. It is caused by the ingress of pathogenic organisms onto damaged, vulnerable matter. To avoid this, during the recovery period, you need to pay close attention to oral hygiene.

In order not to cause such troubles, one should carefully follow the recommendations of the dentist, take the drugs prescribed by him. In case of diagnosis of a complication, consult a specialist as soon as possible!

Prevention

In conclusion, we present preventive recommendations that will protect you from an unpleasant, and sometimes even dangerous, formation:

Sanitation of the oral cavity. Brushing teeth at least twice a day, the use of dental floss, rinse aid is mandatory. Remediation also includes timely removal of tartar and other deposits. Do not pull on a visit to the dentist in case of a lost or poor-quality filling, the formation of sharp edges of the teeth.
Install prostheses only in a specialized, recognized clinic, at a qualified specialist. In case of discomfort, do not delay contacting your doctor. It is also important to contact the orthodontist in time to correct a malocclusion.
Do not forget to come to the dentist every six months for a routine examination. The specialist will be able to timely identify the epulis, which is often invisible to the patient.

We presented the medical history (epulis on the gums) and its treatment in modern times. This tumor is not only aesthetically unpleasant, but also dangerous, as it can be malignant. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to preventive measures, at the slightest suspicion, consult a dentist.

Epulis on the gum: causes and methods of treatment