Are your gums swollen or inflamed? Do you have a problem with bad breath? Then, it is time to visit your dentist, as there is a good chance you have gingivitis.
Gingivitis is often caused by bacteria that can lead to severe infection if not treated. This infection is called periodontitis and can be detrimental to your oral health.
Gingivitis is one of the main reasons for tooth loss in adults and often results in many infections that will threaten your health and cost you money in the long run.
If you practice poor oral hygiene, there is a good chance you have gingivitis, and you should have it treated immediately to avoid further deterioration of your teeth and gums.
Different Types of Gingivitis
You will find two types of gingival diseases:
Dental Plaque-induced gingival disease results from plaque build-up, systemic factors, specific medication, and malnutrition.
- Non-plaque induced gingival lesions.
This is a more mysterious disease as sometimes it has no cause. However, some causes are:
- Specific bacterium
- Virus
- Fungus
- Genetics
- Systemic conditions
- Allergic reactions
- Certain Illnesses
- Wounds
- Reactions to foreign bodies
What are the Symptoms of Gingivitis?
If you have healthy gums, they will be a pale pink color and fit perfectly and tightly over your teeth. However, if you are concerned that you might have gingivitis, you can look out for the following symptoms:
- Tender Gums
- Bad Breath
- Swollen or puffy gums
- Find blood in your saliva after brushing or flossing
- Inflamed Gums
- Receding gums
- Loose teeth
- Sensitive teeth
- Pus between your teeth and gums
- Partial dentures do not fit anymore
- It is painful when you chew
Consult with Your Dentist
If any of these symptoms are known, setting up an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible is vital. The sooner you get this treated, the easier it will be to reverse, and you will prevent any possibility of it becoming periodontitis.
What Causes Gingivitis?
The most significant cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene, which motivates plaque to grow on your teeth resulting in inflammation of surrounding gum tissue.
Here are the different plaque stages and how they are formed:
- Plaque forming on your teeth
Plaque is hard to see as it is translucent and forms a sticky layer of bacteria on your teeth. This is because starches and sugars interact with bacteria in your mouth and must be removed daily to avoid too much build-up.
- Plaque turning into tartar.
If you don’t remove this plaque daily, it can harden underneath your gum line, called tartar.
Tartar gathers bacteria making it harder to remove as it forms a shield that protects the bacteria and causes irritation to your gums.
Tartar needs to be eliminated by a professional and cannot be done at home.
- Inflamed Gingiva (gingivitis)
Your Gingiva will continue to be irritated the longer you leave your teeth and gums untreated. Over time your gums will start to swell, and even the slightest amount of pressure on your gums will cause bleeding. Your teeth will also be more susceptible to tooth decay.
If you still ignore and leave all these symptoms untreated, it could advance to periodontitis and, eventually, tooth loss.
At AstaDent Clinic Turkey, we have highly skilled Dentists in the Dental treatments field. In addition to the experienced medical crew and the Clinic, which is equipped with advanced technologies. Click here to get an appointment for a free consultation.
Other Possible Causes and Risk Factors of Gingivitis
- Drugs
Certain medications can affect oral health, particularly if saliva flows are minimized. For example, drugs like Phenytoin, Cyclosporine, and most blood pressure medications can cause gingival overgrowth.
- Smoking
If you are a frequent smoker, you are more likely to develop gingivitis than non-smokers.
- Age
As you start to age, you become more prone to gum disease
- Certain Diseases
Diseases like cancer, HIV, and diabetes are associated with gingivitis.
- Changes to your hormones
When you go through menopause, your menstrual cycle, puberty, or pregnancy, your gingival becomes more sensitive, increasing the risk of red, painful gums.
- Your diet
If you have a terrible diet that lacks good minerals and vitamins, you have a higher chance of developing gum disease, specifically a lack of Vitamin C.
- Genetics
If your parents or grandparents have suffered from gingivitis, there is a good chance you will be at high risk. This stems from bacteria you were exposed to in your childhood.
- Dry mouth
This is a disease where you don’t produce enough saliva, which cannot wash away food particles properly.
- Dental restorations
If you have had any dental restoration done and they do not fit correctly, or you have crooked teeth that can’t be cleaned easily, there is a good chance you will develop gum disease.
- Medical Conditions
Specific types of viral and fungal infections can increase the development of gingivitis.
How is Gingivitis Diagnosed?
When your dentist examines your teeth, he will poke at your gums with a tiny ruler.
They do this to check for any inflammation and to measure pockets around your teeth. You are looking for a depth of 1-3 mm for healthy gums. If need be, X-rays will be taken to see if there is any bone loss.
Your dentist should ask you about any factors or symptoms you might have to get the correct diagnosis. If they find that you have a build-up of gingivitis, there is a chance you might be referred to a gum disease specialist called a periodontist.
How is Gum Disease Treated?
The best way to treat gum disease is by practicing proper oral hygiene. Speak to your dentist about the type of toothbrush that will work best for your teeth and gums, and ensure you brush twice daily. Flossing daily is also essential.
Cutting back can help if you smoke, but stopping completely is even better. Also, minimize your intake of foods or beverages high in starch and sugar.
Other treatments include:
- Going for a professional cleaning
- Certain antibiotics prescribed by a periodontist
- Surgery
Professional Deep Cleaning
There are various ways to clean your teeth deep to help you avoid having surgery. These methods help to remove plaque and tartar and eliminate any gum irritation:
- Lasers
A laser may be used to remove tartar. Most patients prefer this technique because it is less painful than scaling and root planing.
- Scaling
This technique eliminates tartar from the top and bottom of your gum line.
- Root Planing
This method removes rough patches, plaque, and tartar from the root’s surface.
Treating Gingivitis with Medication
There are several medications your periodontist might recommend using before suggesting surgery:
- Doxycycline
This is an antibiotic that prevents enzymes from causing tooth damage.
- Antiseptic mouthwash
Using an antiseptic mouthwash with chlorhexidine will disinfect the mouth.
- Antibiotic microspheres
Antibiotic microspheres contain minocycline which can be placed into pockets after root planning treatment.
- Oral antibiotics
Oral antibiotics are a standard treatment for continuous gum inflammation.
- Timed-release antiseptic chips
These chips contain chlorhexidine and can be placed into pockets after a root planning treatment.
- Bone and tissue grafts
If your teeth and jaw are too fragile or damaged to heal bone and tissue grafts are used.
- Flap Surgery
This type of surgery is where the gums are cut, lifted, and cleaned by removing any plaque or tartar from the deep pockets. Before your gums are stitched up, your surgeon will ensure a snug fit around the tooth.
How do You Prevent Gingivitis?
Take the proper steps now to prevent gum disease and any infections that can occur by:
- Visiting your dentist at least twice a year
Go for a professional cleaning twice a year. If you have some risk factors, like taking medication that decreases your saliva production, you might need to go more often.
- Use toothpaste containing fluoride and brush twice a day.
Ensure that when you brush, you are doing so for at least 2 minutes. If you can, brushing your teeth after every meal or snack is even better. Do not brush too hard, though, as this thins out your enamel which can never grow back.
- Floss daily
By flossing, you remove any tiny food particles between your teeth.
- Eat a balanced diet.
Limiting your starch and sugar intake reduces your chances of developing gingivitis.
Health Conditions that can Increase your Risk of Gingivitis
There are a few diseases that appear to increase your risk of gingivitis, and they include:
- Lung disease
- Strokes
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- HIV
Risks can also increase in women who give birth to premature babies or babies with low birth weight. Although these diseases seem to increase your chance of developing gum disease, they have not been proven to cause it.
At AstaDent Clinic Turkey, we have highly skilled Dentists in the Dental treatments field. In addition to the experienced medical crew and the Clinic, which is equipped with advanced technologies. Click here to get an appointment for a free consultation.
What Complications Can Arise from Gingivitis?
When you have been diagnosed with gum disease, follow your periodontist’s instructions to prevent any complications.
Should you not treat your gingivitis, it will spread and cause problems with your gum tissue, teeth, and facial bones. These problems can include:
- Abscesses or infections in the gingival or jawbone
- Periodontitis
- Acute recurrent gingivitis
- A trench mouth is when a bacterial infection develops into ulceration of the gums.
What is Periodontitis?
It is a harmful infection of the gum tissue. It results from untreated bacteria, which builds up on your teeth and gums. As it develops, it can damage your teeth and bones. However, if you treat it in its early stages, you can prevent this damage.
The Different Stages of Periodontitis
- Inflammation
You might have periodontitis if your gums are inflamed. You should immediately consult your dentist if you notice reddening of your gums and blood in your saliva after brushing or flossing.
If you find that your teeth are starting to change color, it could be because plaque is beginning to build upon your teeth and gums.
This is because food particles are trapped in your teeth and converted into plaque by bacteria in your mouth.
- Early Periodontal Disease
One of the first signs of early periodontal disease is that your gums are starting to recede. This will cause small pockets to form between your gums and teeth.
This is dangerous as these pockets are a great place for harmful bacteria to flourish. Your immune system will try to battle the infection, but often it fails, and your gums will recede further. This will result in bleeding and bone loss.
- Moderate periodontal disease
If you ignore the earlier symptoms, you will experience the next stage, moderate periodontal disease. This will result in your teeth and gums bleeding, and you will experience pain.
While your gums start to recede, your teeth will begin to loosen and eventually fall out or must be extracted. The infection can also cause an inflammatory response that can spread to the rest of your body.
- Advanced periodontal disease
This is the most harmful and final stage of periodontitis.
In this stage, the connective tissue that keeps your teeth in place will decay. Your bones, gums, and any other supportive tissue will be destroyed.
Symptoms are:
- Pain while chewing
- Foul odors coming from your mouth
- A bad taste in your mouth
- Loss of teeth
Conclusion
It is essential to stop gingivitis in its tracks before it can cause further damage to your teeth and gum tissue. Deter gum disease by practicing good oral hygiene. Always brush twice a day and floss daily. Ensure to visit your dentist at least once every six months.
Eat a balanced diet and stay away from foods that are high in sugar and starch. These easy techniques will ensure good oral health and avoid nasty infections or tooth loss.
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