[1] Gingival enlargement can be caused by a number of factors, including inflammatory conditions and the side effects of certain medications.

[2] As these identifications cannot be performed with a clinical examination and evaluation of the tissue,[3] the term gingival enlargement is more properly applied.

Risk factors include poor oral hygiene,[5] as well as physical irritation of the gingiva by improper restorative and orthodontic appliances.

Situations in which the chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement include significant fibrotic components that do not respond to and undergo shrinkage when exposed to scaling and root planing are treated with surgical removal of the excess tissue, most often with a procedure known as gingivectomy.

[1] In DIGO, improved oral hygiene and plaque control is still important to help reduce any inflammatory component that may be contributing to the overgrowth.

[19] The dihydropyridine derivative isradipidine can replace nifedipine for some uses of calcium channel blocking and does not induce gingival overgrowth.

Under anesthesia, the enlarged areas of gingiva can be cut back with a scalpel blade or CO2 laser, but it often recurs.