Swelling of gums is referred to most commonly as ‘gingival enlargement’ or ‘gum enlargement’. It could be due to ‘hyperplasia’ or ‘hypertrophy’. When the swelling in the gums is due to an increase in the number of tissue cells, it is called ‘gingival hyperplasia’, and when the swelling is due to an actual increase in the size of cells, it is termed ‘gingival hypertrophy’.