A hemangioma is a benign (non-cancerous) growth made up of blood vessels. In the mouth, it can occur on the lips, tongue, gums, cheek lining, palate, or even within the jaw bone. Oral hemangiomas often appear as a red, blue, or purple soft swelling that may blanch (turn pale) when pressed.
How it can affect teeth
If a hemangioma involves the gums or jaw bone, it may cause:
Bleeding from the gums
Swelling near teeth
Loosening or movement of teeth
Excessive bleeding during dental procedures such as extraction or surgery
Treatment options
Treatment depends on the size, location, symptoms, and age of the patient.
Observation: Many hemangiomas shrink on their own and need only monitoring.
Medications: Beta-blockers such as Propranolol are commonly used, especially in children.
Sclerotherapy: Injection of a medicine into the lesion to shrink it. This is commonly used for oral hemangiomas.
Laser treatment
Surgical removal for selected cases
Embolization may be used before surgery for larger vascular lesions.
Important dental precaution
If you have a hemangioma near a tooth or in the jaw, do not undergo tooth extraction or oral surgery without evaluation by a dentist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon, because some lesions can bleed heavily. Imaging such as Doppler ultrasound or MRI may be needed before treatment.
