Gum Problems (cont.)

Common culprits behind painful gums are canker sores, or mouth ulcers. These painful sores can develop anywhere inside the mouth, including on the gums, and they often have a whitish center with red around the edges. You may experience one canker sore at a time, making only one area on your gums sore, or you may have multiple sores at the same time throughout your mouth.

While researchers don't know exactly what causes canker sores, and they're not contagious, there may be bacterial or viral involvement. People with certain autoimmune diseases may also be more likely to suffer gum problems caused by canker sores. Canker sores often recur over time.

Chemotherapy can have a number of unpleasant side effects, including painful, swollen, and bleeding gums. Many people undergoing treatment for cancer suffer from stomatitis, which causes the development of painful sores and ulcers on the gums and throughout the mouth.

Using cigarettes and other tobacco products can be extremely damaging to your gums, and people who smoke are far more likely to develop gum disease. You may find that your smoking habit gives you a number of gum problems from sensitive gums that bleed to painful sores.

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Source: MedicineNet.com
http://www.medicinenet.com/gum_problems/article.htm