Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums around the teeth. In most cases, people who have it do not know it because the disease does not have any symptoms. However, if the condition is not treated fast, it causes severe gum issues such as bone loss, periodical gum diseases, and tooth loss. It is usually common in areas where plaque biofilms are not adequately removed. People who have terrible oral hygiene tend to have bacteria congregate at the gum lines, thus causing an inflammatory response in the body. People with diabetes, smokers and those with vitamin deficiencies are at risk of getting the infection. This condition is more common in children because they have teeth growing and many do not brush and floss appropriately. Gingivitis infected teeth are tender and bleed severely during flossing and brushing. The following are symptoms that are commonly associated with gingivitis:
– Red or purple gums
– Bleeding during flossing and brushing
– Swollen or blunted gums
– Pus like discharge occasionally
– Tenderness
– People with darker pigmentation tend to have areas of the mouth that are brown and others that seem to be completely normal.
It is important to note that healthy gums do not bleed. In many cases, bleeding gums are symptoms of existing gingivitis. The papilla is the sharply pointed area of the gum between teeth. This is the part where the redness and inflammation are localized. Sometimes it may be restricted to the whole gum or the areas near the neck of the tooth.
How to Tell You Have the Infection
One of the first indicators of gingivitis is blood stains on your toothbrush or the sink. You will also notice that your gums are less firm than they are supposed to be. Your dentist will diagnose your gums visually by looking at them. If you suspect that you have gingivitis, you should consider visiting your dentist as soon as you can.
To answer the question, is gingivitis easy to cure? Yes, it is. It is eliminated by removing tartar that irritates the gums. Your dentist will work by removing tartar using professional cleaning. There are also home remedies that you can use to clean your teeth and keep it free from the infection.
Brush Thoroughly
For many people, brushing thoroughly means using excessive force. However, it means that you should ensure that your brush your teeth and remove the sticky film of bacteria that forms around your teeth after eating foods with a lot of starches and sugars. When the plaque stays in your teeth for a prolonged perion, it hardens into a hard film of tartar since the minerals in your saliva stick to it and turn into a rocky substance. These formed material then irritate the gingival, which is the base of the teeth where it meets your gums. The irritation produces resorption and exposes the root of your teeth. To prevent the plaque from building up, you need to ensure that you brush your teeth at least twice every day. Regular brushing helps to treat existing gingivitis. It is critical to ensure that you use a soft bristle brush that will not harm your gums. You also need to replace your toothbrush every 2- 3 months. Researchers show that electric brushes are more effective in removing tartar than their regular alternatives. So, ensure that you do not go to bed without brushing your teeth. Letting plaque sit for a night will irritate your gums. This way you will reduce bacteria in your mouth and keep your gums healthy.
Ensure That You Brush the Right Way
It is critical to spend enough time brushing your teeth and doing it in the correct way. While oral hygiene is taught in most schools, many people do not brush their teeth the way they are supposed to. Spend at least 3 minutes brushing your teeth. You also need to brush them in a circular motion. This means you will remove tartar faster than cleaning side to side or up and down does. Ensure that irritation and bleeding do not stop you from brushing your teeth. Neglecting your gums will cause more issues. If you use the right brushing technique and cover most areas of your gums while brushing, they will get better faster.
Floss Daily
Brushing does not reach the areas of the gums that are between teeth. To make sure that those areas are also taken care of, ensure that you floss daily. This will remove bacteria build up from these areas of the gum. It is also a great way of removing food that is stuck between teeth without damaging the gums. You also need to ensure that you floss the right way. The correct way to floss is pulling the floss to your gum and using a scraping motion to remove the bacteria from the area before pulling the floss back. Use different parts of your floss for all areas of the gums. If it has been a while since you flossed, you may experience excessive bleeding. But this will heal in a week or two.
Use Mouthwash
After brushing, make sure that you use an antiseptic mouthwash to remove the bacteria that may have been left in the mouth that cannot be reached by either flossing or brushing. Sugar-free mouthwash is great. Rinse for at least thirty seconds each day after brushing. This way bacterium at the back of your throat will be cleared too.
Oral Irrigators
Your dentist may offer oral irrigators to clean teeth and gums. These get under the gums where your toothbrush and flossers cannot reach. They also ensure that the bacterial buildup will never come back. Also, they remove all debris that is left on the gums.
Stay Away From Sweets and Excessive Sugar
Ensure that you cut back on sugar to decrease the buildup of plaque on your teeth. Ensure that you keep starchy and sugary foods at bay as you treat the problem. If you must, ensure that you brush your teeth immediately.
Dr. Marissa Crandall Cruz of KOP Perio is a renowned dental specialist in King Prussia, PA. Dr. Cruz is also a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and a member of the American Dental Association, American Academy of Periodontology, Academy of Stomatology of Philadelphia, and the Delaware Valley Academy of Osseointegration. For more information, click here.
