What would cause a painful lump on the right side of my soft palette?

Dental abscess: The most common type of dental abscess is a periapical abscess (tooth), and the second most common is a periodontal abscess (gums) or combination of both tooth-gum abscess, regardless if the tooth has a filing. In order to get appropriate treatment it is important to know the underlying cause for this infection. Rec.: see your dentist for evaluation, imaging and treatment.