What is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is the inflammation of gums caused by bacterial infection. In severe cases, it can cause separation of your gums from the tooth surface and may also cause bleeding when you brush your teeth.
What causes Gingivitis?
If you notice carefully you will see a space between your gum and tooth surface, that space is known as ‘Sulcus’. When you chew food debris deposits in the sulcus, and it causes pooling of bacteria in contact with your gum that results in inflammation.
If not treated the depth of the sulcus which is normally 1-3 mm can go deeper and may collect more food debris in the created pocket and may cause periodontal problems like periodontitis etc.
What are the risk factors for gingivitis?
- Poor oral hygiene maintenance.
- Smoking
- Broken fillings
- Diabetes
- Cracked tooth
- Ill-fitted dental prosthesis
- Pregnancy
- Low immunity
- Genetic factors
Symptoms of gingivitis
- Gum looks like red tender and swollen
- Gum bleeds on brushing and flossing
- Elevated gum margin from the tooth surface
- It may cause loosening of teeth
- You may notice pus between tooth and gum
- Foul smell breath that does not go away
Treatment of gingivitis
Everyone should maintain good oral hygiene to prevent the occurrence of gingivitis. Try to quit smoking if you do, control your diabetes
There are following treatments for gingivitis
- Tooth cleaning
- Medications
- Surgery
Tooth cleaning
Scaling:
Here the dentist removes calculus, plaque, and stains from your tooth above and below the gum line.
Root Planing
Smoothing rough spots on the root surface and removes infected tooth parts.
Medication
Antibiotic mouthwashes which contain chlorhexidine, doxycycline.
Surgery
Surgical procedures may also be performed to treat gingivitis which is flap surgery, electrocautery, tissue and bone graft can be used where ever needed.
At last, all need to maintain your oral hygiene to avoid gingivitis.
Brush twice daily, use floss, keep your gums healthy