our gums are kind of like your funny bone: You don’t think about them until they flare up with pain. Then, wow does it suck. Sore gums can seemingly come out of nowhere, but dentist Inna Chern, DDS, says there are a few primary reasons why it happens.

Let’s start with the most obvious reason for gum soreness: just having gotten dental work done. If you were hanging out with your mouth open for an hour while your dentist poked and prodded around in there, it’s not all that surprising that you may be sent home with sore gums along with your shiny new toothbrush. Beyond that, Dr. Chern says inflammation is another main cause of gum soreness, specifically gingivitis.