24 years of itching gums! Can you explain it?

nice to know I am not crazy....I have had this thing since last year no one knows what to do I have been to my doc, dentists - no help- I found a solution ( well kinda - take dental wax and cover the gum area that itches it reduces the urge to itch and helps prevent irritation- it really itches though when the wax comes off

I am so happy to see that I am not alone!  I too get itchy gums.  It started when I was about 6. First it was my front top right tooth, right above it, at the gum line. The last time that area itched, the gum actually did not come back down after I picked it away.  Then I  had the area between my top right fang and the tooth to the left of it itch.  Most recently I've been having the tooth on the other side of my fang itch.  Some times its at the triangle between the two teeth, others its more in between the two teeth, where I have to get between the teeth and push up. This has all been over the space of 30 years. It comes and goes.  when it comes, it lasts until I force myself to stop picking at the area. Usually about a week after it starts. It can go for weeks or years between itches. When it itches, I pick and pick, and try to rip the gum off. I have used anything sharp I could get my hands on, especially when I get the itching straight up between the two teeth.  I try to burn the itch with listerine, salt, anything to kill the itch.  And of coarse when I mention my itchy gums to people, they think I'm loony.  My dentists seem to dismiss it too.  For me the itch doesn't seem to go too deep, but I also haven't dug to the bone to see.

I think an effective natural remedy for this ailment could be rounding off lunch and dinner by biting into an extra hard green apple. It helps in some way!

I have found a way to stop the urge to take a sharp object to your gums (Temporarily). I tried rubbing Clove Oil on the itchy parts of my gums and so far after 10 minutes it has almost rid of the itchiness. I hope this works for the rest of you.

I have had to put up with this for years so I really sympathise.  Due to itching gums and poking in between with anything sharp, I have had to have most of my teeth out. Dentures are a nightmare.

Hello Squeegybug,

The only way I can get relief from the itchy and sometimes bleeding gums is to use a WaterPik device with very warm water. Not Hot water, just very warm water. This seems to stop the itch for about 1 hour. I used the WaterPik after every meal, and every snack. I hope it will help you. They are about $60 at Walmart. Best of Luck
Brian

I have found that itchy gums has nothing to do with dental hygiene ! Doc doesn't know answer either. I have noticed nasal drip makes it worse, so I take anti-histamyne tablets and a moisturizing gel for gums (which dry out TOO much whilst on tabs) I am on anti seizure tabs and these don't cause or relieve itchy gums. I am older now and have only a few teeth left in my mouth, yet the itching gums persist, so I'm guessing it has little or nothing to do with teeth either. Sorry this doesn't solve the problem, but I thought if I shared it would help you rule out some of the silly suggestions doctors and dentists tell you.

I am do happy to come across these posts! When I first told my dentist 14 yrs ago, he laughed at me and told me that he had never heard of it. It started after a filling in tooth#3 I have since gotten a root canal& the itching has not gone away. It is not constant though. I just have occasional flare-ups. - I am female - I have bad sinuses&allergies (pollen, dust, ragweed etc) - I do not drink a lot of water - I do have an aciditic taste on the gum where the itch is located -I do take birth control - I've never had braces - have healthy teeth& gums - I brush& floss regularly At first I thought it was an allergic reaction to a filling, but I have fillings in other teeth& they don't itch. Surprised a periodontist hasn't jumped on this yet. There should be studies on this issue. There is obviously a definite need to find relief from this itch.. I did have a salad last night... I wonder if it had anything to do with this flare up.....

Drinking tea gives me gum itch. Try avoiding some kind of food and drinks.

Here's the story of a lovely lady who had very very very itchy gums...(sung to the Brady Bunch theme)

I too am so happy to have found others who suffer from this.  First of all, the only thing that relieves my itch is ZINC.  I take a capsule that is 30mg and is a combination of zinc gluconate and zinc picolinate.  I'm sure any type would work but this is a version that doesn't make me nauseous like zinc oxide.

Now here's my story as promised in the opening "song"..

This sort of crept up on me.  I was chewing more and more gum probably because the itch always gives the urge to grind my teeth.  When I decided to stop chewing gum was when I became more aware that my gums were itchy.   This was about a year ago.  My gums have receded possibly from grinding but recession gets worse when I eat carbs.

My health / background is: 

itching is mostly around upper canines and also the teeth below those

46 yr old white female

I had braces when I was a teen

gums and teeth are fine

no root canals

two fillings that are about 30 years old

two wisdom teeth removed 20 yrs ago, two remain without issues

acne which is always food related (sugar, grains, oxalates, dairy)  

seasonal allergies

arthritis that is more noisy than painful but gets very stiff with dairy and citrus and tannins

thyroid issues like being very cold and a raspy voice that get worse when I eat goitrogens like peanuts, broccoli, cabbage, etc

not on any medication except benedryl at night for allergies

had candida problems in the past like perioral dermatitis which is cured by very low carb diet, no dairy

Gum itching could be related to:

prediabetes (gums do seem worse when I eat carbs)

thyroid problems (stay away from flouride toothpaste, tea and goitrogens like cruciferous veggies)

allergies to foods (I have issues with so many "healthy" foods like spinach, cabbage, citrus, seeds, beans, etc.  My son tested positive for oral allergies to every fruit and nut he was tested for.  Now that he is older he can tell when a fruit or nut is in something because it makes his throat itch.  He can usually eat a little fruit if it is cooked.

candida (I think my gum itching became noticeable about the time I started adding more carbs back into my diet.  I am going to start taking candex soon and maybe oil of oregan pills to kill it off and of course cut out most of the carbs.  I think all the candida experts agree that basically every problem you can have is related to candida overgrowth)

Missing nutrients from diet (even though zinc really calms the itch I am not sure it is simply a zinc deficeincy)

This is not an oral hygiene issue

My son brushes his teeth about twice a week and never flosses.  He gets bad tartar but never itchy or receding gums.  If some people want to say its caused by periodontitis that's fine but tell me what causes periodontitis.  If it was caused by not taking good care of your teeth and gums my son should have it.

 

My gums are itching like crazy. I am poking them and its only temporary relief. It gets worse, when I have allergy/sinus problems. Even the hinges in my gums are aching. It feels like my gums are swollen and pushing against my teeth. The sensation is like needing to sneeze and cannot. I have a sinus infection and I am on antibiotics. I also take Claritan D. I recently changed my toothpaste from Tom's Sensitive to Senodyne and I really believing it's the culprit. The two years that I used Tom's of Maine Sensitive toothpaste, I never had a problem. Finding Tom's Sensitive toothpaste isn't easy, but if SuperTarget has it, I am going to stock up this time. Tom's Sensitive seems to have been the cure for me.

hello guys could not help noticing the cause, i am a dentist by profession and i think itchy gums might be related to a fungal infection called candida which is more common in people on inhalers and those who have dry mouth or high carbohydrate diet or allergy to few filling materials. i would suggest u guys to ask your dentist to get a candidal smear test done and that will conclude it for you.some antifungals might be helpful too.hope this helps

Hey everyone, try an elimination diet to see what you are eating that is causing the itch. For me it seems to be nitrates/nitrites. They are in bacon, hot dogs, etc. I noticed I went days without itchy gums when I ate sausage for breakfast instead of bacon. Check ingredients on everything though. Some sausage might have nitrates but mine doesn't. Lunch meat might have them as well so anything you get from a deli, etc. Good luck!

I can identify with that i too suffered for years with itchy gums. it drove me crazy thankyou for your post.

hi, read your post, i do the same thing you do sit and poke with toothpicks to relieve itchy gums. hope you feel better soon, or shoot me an email reply back. thanks.