Tag Archives: gingivitis

What Is Gingivitis and How to Prevent It

You may have heard about gum disease. In fact, gun infection and inflammation is pretty common. The first stage of gum diseases is known as gingivitis and it is reversible. Its occurrence is usually due to the consolidation and hardening of plaque on teeth. This buildup causes damage to the gum tissue. Gingivitis usually occurs due to poor oral hygiene which results due to missed brushing and flossing, and infrequent dental visits. According to American Academy of Periodontology, there are several factors which contribute in the development of gum disease. Those factors include use of tobacco in any form, inadequate nutrition, stress, diabetes, pregnancy, substance abuse, autoimmune diseases and several other medical conditions.

If gingivitis is left untreated, it can turn into periodontitis which is quite serious problem. It occurs when infection starts irritating the gum, activating the immune response of the human body. This activation generates elements to fight bacteria. When it happens, the elements attack infected area of the gums. These are the very elements which also destroy the bone and tissue that support teeth. As a result, the tissues start breaking due to which a gap starts developing between the gums and the teeth. These infections do not stop even after destroying the teeth. This infection can result in a lot of other health conditions which might include diabetes and heart disease.

Gingivitis symptoms

Gingivitis usually stays in the dental structure without letting the patient feel much about it because it is usually painless. However, there are some symptoms which you can look at in order to know if you have this gum disease. Those symptoms mainly include softer and swollen gums, occasionally tender gums, receding gums, and gums that bleed easily after flossing or brushing.

How to prevent gingivitis

When it comes to prevention, the first thing that you should not miss is the regularity of dental visits. A thorough checkup is quite important to get rid of the infections which can result in gingivitis. Then you have to make sure that you are paying complete attention to the daily dental hygiene. You should brush your teeth in a way it is recommended. Then you need to pay attention to interdental cleaning with the help of flossing on regular basis. While working on the dental hygiene, don’t forget to brush your tongue as well. Cleaning your mouth before going to bed is very important because mouth usually cannot put much of a resistance when you are asleep.

If you are not fully aware about how to take care of your teeth and gums in an ideal way, you need to ask your dentist. They are going to be more than happy to help you.