One of my teeth is in pain for more than a year.gums around it are swollen.my dentist doesn't know what the problem is.what can i do to stop the pain?

Second opinion?: Take some otc pain medication such as advil, motrin, aleve (naproxen) or what you would normally take for a headache. Then consult with another dentist or even two until you find the answer to your problem. If the gums are truly swollen and a general dentist can't diagnose the problem, see a periodontist as well.

See a periodontist: You need to find out the reason why it hurt and swollen and treat the problem accordingly. Go to see another dentist or periodontist to help you find out the cause of the problem.

Endodontist: It could be a gum abscess but it sounds more like a tooth abscess, which emanates from a necrotic pulp. An endodontist can make a proper diagnosis, and treat. If it is a gum abscess, then a referral will be made to a periodontist.

Tooth pain: There may be more than one problem. The question is, what do you do to make the tooth to hurt. You do not say if the tooth or teeth around it have had any treatment. As dr grossman and dr liu suggest, it may be an abcessed tooth or a periodontal problem. If the tooth has a large filling, the tooth may have a fracture. You should see another dentist for another opinion.