A gingivitis cure is sought after by millions each year. Perhaps you are one of them. Gum disease is an all too common health condition, affecting millions of adults each year. It is one of the most common oral diseases. Learn how to cure gingivitis naturally and at home.
What is gingivitis?
Gingivitis is an oral health condition that affects the gingiva or gums of your mouth. When you develop this disease, you might notice a number of symptoms. The chief sign of is inflammation of the gum tissue. Some of the other tell-tale signs that you have developed this condition include:
- Bleeding when you brush your teeth, use dental floss or eat foods that are crispy
- Bad breath
- Bad taste in your mouth even after brushing your teeth
- Redder than normal coloring of the gums
This condition is the first stage of gum disease and created by a bacteria build-up that leads to the formation of plaque and tartar on the gums and teeth.
Our mouths are hot beds of bacterial growth. Each day they are exposed to bacteria which flourish as a result of the food particles left in our mouths after eating. In addition, this bacteria mix with our saliva to produce something called plaque, which clings to teeth and gums. Over time, plaque can harden and become tartar, which is a calcification that can only be removed through dental procedures.
Bacteria, plaque and tartar can all irritate the gum tissue and lead to the infection known as gingivitis, the early stage of periodontal gum disease.
Preventing Gum Disease
Despite the fact that millions of adults each year develop this condition, it is usually easy to prevent. Basically, all it takes to prevent tooth and gum infection is that you follow a consistent home dental hygiene routine and visit your dentist every six months for a check-up and clean.
By brushing, flossing and using a mouth rinse twice a day, you can usually keep the bacteria that cause this disease under control. A check-up with your dentist every six months will see any plaque or tartar build-up removed and your mouth left totally clean and healthy.
Another reason to make a dental appointment twice-yearly is that your dentist is able to spot the signs of periodontal gum disease early. They can generally notice warning signs that your gum health is not optimal long before you are likely to notice anything awry.
How to Avoid gum disease – Some Extra Tips
As well as following a oral hygiene routine at home, there are a couple of extra things that you can do to protect your oral health:
- Eat less sugar – ditch the sugar or processed foods wherever possible in your diet. Bacteria love to eat sugar and a diet high in sugar encourages bacteria to multiply out of control.
- Don’t smoke – almost all smokers will develop gum disease. Smoking damages many aspects of your health and well-being and your entire body will thank you for ditching the tobacco habit.
- Drink plenty of water – water keeps your body healthy and also helps to flush away bacteria that accumulate on your teeth and gums. Drink at least eight glasses a day for optimal health.
- Talk to your doctor – some health conditions, such as diabetes, can make you more susceptible to developing gum disease. If you have a medical condition or take medications regularly, then you should talk to your doctor about how it may also affect other aspects of your health.
- Use the right oral care products – some dental health products can actually damage your sensitive gum tissue. Many commercial dental products contain sodium lauryl sulphate, which is a foaming agent. Unfortunately, it can cause allergic reactions, which can denigrate the gum tissue. It is best to choose products that do not contain SLS, but which contain natural ingredients.
What happens if I do develop gum disease?
If you do develop the early stage of gum disease, the good news is that there are remedies for it. The kind of treatment that you require will depend on the extent of the condition. Your dentist or oral MD will be able to recommend the best recommendation together with a regular oral care plan.
Gingivitis Treatment
There are non-surgical and surgical treatment options for curing gum disease:
Non-surgical treatments – Scaling and root planing is the most common procedure for people who do not require surgical treatments for their gum disease. This involves the dentist removing plaque and tartar that are lying under the gum line (scaling) and smoothing rough areas around the tooth root where bacteria have attached (planing).
Sometimes antibiotics may also be used by dentists to accompany treatment. Although gum disease is primarily a bacterial infection, antibiotics are not generally powerful enough to get rid of gum disease on their own. They are, however, often effective at supporting recovery.
Surgical treatments – There are several surgical methods that may be employed to eradicate infected tissue. Some of the surgeries your dental surgeon might recommend include, pocket reduction, flap surgery, tissue regeneration and soft tissue grafting. The aim of these surgeries is to remove diseased gum tissue and replace it with healthy tissue. Gum tissue may also be stitched back into place then it has receded. Laser surgery is more common than it was in the past, but it can be an expensive procedure.
Take Action – It will only get worse!
In the search for a gingivitis cure, it is always best to prevent a condition from occurring in the first place. By making a good home dental health routine part of your day, choosing the right cleaning products and visiting your dentist regularly, you can enjoy optimal tooth and gum health in the long-term.
Now that you are informed about your options, continue your search for how to cure gingivitis.