What is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is a mild and common type of gum disease called periodontal disease that results in redness, swelling, inflammation, and irritation of your gingiva, the part of your gum at the base of your teeth.
You should take gingivitis seriously since it can lead to a more serious form of gum disease called periodontitis and, in more severe cases, tooth loss.
What are the Symptoms of Gingivitis?
Healthy gums are firm, pale pink, and fitted snugly around your teeth. Symptoms of gingivitis include:
- Puffy or swollen gums
- Dark red gums
- Bad breath
- Receding gums
- Tender gums
A hallmark symptom of gingivitis is gums bleeding easily when you floss or brush.
What Causes Gingivitis?
Poor oral hygiene commonly causes gingivitis. Remember to brush twice a day, floss daily, and stay up to date with your professional dental checkups and cleanings.
Plaque is a sticky, invisible bacterial film that forms on your teeth when the sugars and starches in the foods you eat interact with the bacteria typically found in your mouth. Plaque can reform quickly, so it’s best to remove it daily with proper brushing and flossing.
Plaque that remains on your teeth can harden underneath your gumline into tartar that collects bacteria and is more difficult to remove. Tartar creates a protective shield for bacteria and causes irritation along your gumline. A professional cleaning is necessary to remove tartar.
The longer tartar and plaque stay on your teeth, the more your gingiva are irritated, resulting in gingivitis.
Other risk factors for gingivitis include:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Aging
- Dry mouth
- Poor nutrition
- Dental restorations that don't fit properly
- Crooked teeth that are difficult to clean
- Conditions that reduce immunity, such as leukemia
- Certain medications and medical conditions
- Genetics
Hormonal changes can also play a role in the development of gingivitis.
What are the Treatments for Gingivitis?
Your PDA dentist reviews your dental and medical history and conducts an evaluation of your gums, mouth, tongue, and teeth, to check for any signs of plaque and inflammation.
Your dentist also typically measures the depth of the groove between your teeth and your gums by inserting a dental probe beside your tooth under your gum line at various sites throughout your mouth. Deeper pockets indicate gum disease. You could be sent for X-rays and other tests.
Gingivitis often clears up after a professional dental cleaning. Ongoing care from your PDA dentist can help you to keep gingivitis at bay. In some cases, a dental restoration might be necessary.
Call PDADental or book online today.
