Puffy, painful gums could say a lot about your hormones, diet, or even signal a larger health problem. The discussion surrounding oral health tends to revolve around how to keep our pearly whites, well, white, and free of cavities. Not much attention is given to our gums—in fact, the only time many of us remember they’re even there is when they demand our attention in the form of bleeding or swelling.
So what causes swollen gums, exactly? Dr. Daniel Reich weighs in.