Bump on my gums

So, I’ve had this weird little fleshy thing growing right behind my molar for years. It was basically just a tiny little nub attached to my gum—sometimes it looked a bit swollen, sometimes thinner, but it was always flesh-colored and never really bothered me. No pain, no bleeding, nothing. It just sat there. Well, today I noticed it felt a little sensitive (and yeah, I have this habit of unconsciously poking at it with my tongue), and then after lunch... it was just gone! Like, poof. Did it seriously just break off and I accidentally ate it? Is that even a thing? Am I in trouble?

There’s zero bleeding right now and nothing else feels off, but honestly, I’m low-key freaking out about how this went down. For years, I just treated it like some random extra bit of tissue and figured I’d just have a surgeon snip it off whenever I got around to it. Now I’m kicking myself for not checking the damage before I started eating. I’m genuinely terrified that I actually swallowed the thing.

Has anyone else dealt with this? Please tell me I'm not crazy and let me know what you think. Thanks!

Laura Miller38 said:So, for years now, I’ve had this little fleshy bump—kind of like a tiny skin tag—growing right next to my tooth on the gum line. It varies a bit in size sometimes, thicker or thinner, but it’s always been flesh-colored and never really bled or hurt. It just sat there. Well, today I noticed some sensitivity (I think I was unconsciously poking at it with my tongue), and after lunch, it’s just... gone! It looks like it broke off and I actually swallowed it? Is that even possible? And more importantly, is it dangerous?

There’s no bleeding and nothing else feels weird right now—just pure panic because I don't know what to expect. This thing has been part of me for years; it felt like just a little extra bit of tissue, and I honestly thought the only way to deal with it would be a quick surgical removal. Now I’m kicking myself for not checking the mirror before lunch—I'm terrified that I actually ate it!

Has anyone dealt with this? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks!

I had a similar experience when I was a kid. My teeth feel perfectly fine in their spots, but I just notice there's less gum tissue in that specific area now. Honestly, I don't think it's a huge deal as long as you stay super diligent with brushing and flossing that specific spot.