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Gingivitis is, next to caries and hypersensitivity, one of the biggest enemies of our teeth. What are the causes of gingivitis? Is gingivitis effective? And is it possible to avoid problems resulting from gingivitis?

Gingivitisaffects many people, regardless of age. If the teeth are not washed thoroughly, bacteria accumulate on their surface, which, when combined with saliva and food debris, accumulate in the form of plaque - this, undergoing mineralization, creates a porous stone that attracts subsequent layers. The stone penetrates under the gums and pushes them away from the roots. Debris presses between the teeth and under the gums, allowing the bacteria to destroy the structure that keeps the teeth firmly in the jaws. This structure is: the periodontium, root cementum and alveolar bones. Bacteria spread to the periodontium and to the bones of the jaw and mandible, which threatens the stability of the teeth.

Gingivitis - causes

Gingivitis is a large group of diseases. They can be divided into those resulting from the lack of hygiene, i.e. the result of the formation of dental plaque. Others are caused by diseases of the entire body or by taking certain medications.

Inflammations also develop after mechanical damage to the gums, e.g. by eating hard or by brushing the teeth too hard. In the latter two cases, the disease will not progress if the teeth are carefully cleaned to prevent the formation of plaque and tartar.

It often happens that the appearance of the gums indicates the existence of systemic diseases that the patient was not aware of. This is the case with diabetes, leukemia, anorexia and bulimia. The latter disease wreaks great havoc on the gum mucosa. Frequent vomiting means too much acid in the mouth and this leads to the digestion of the mucosa. Deep pitting is formed, the gums become weak, fluffy and bloodshot.

Medicines administered to people suffering from epilepsy, calcium channel blockers, i.e. preparations used to combat cardiovascular diseases, and antibiotics (cephalosporins) can act in a similar way. Vitamin deficiencies - mainly B vitamins and vitamin C - also weaken the gums.

Gingivitis, malocclusion and caries

In a dispute that has been led by doctors for yearsdentists devote a lot of attention to the relationship between periodontal diseases and malocclusion. Orthodontists say that there is no such relationship, but admit that crooked teeth are harder to keep clean, because deposits easily accumulate in the recesses and scale builds up faster. Many dentists, however, claim that malocclusion can contribute to the development of gum disease.

People with significant missing teeth or loose teeth may suffer from frequent irritation of the gums with hard food. Such mechanical damage usually does not turn into inflammation, but cannot be ignored.

It would be best to ask for help from a doctor who, after examining the teeth, will be able to decide whether to insert implants, suggest a new prosthesis or removal of the teeth with a suitable orthodontic appliance.

Important

The composition of saliva can determine how quickly tartar builds up on your teeth. If the saliva is acidic, it is easier to develop cavities, but no calculus is present. The acid dissolves plaque and prevents it from accumulating on the teeth. When saliva is alkaline, calculus builds up more quickly and caries lesions form more slowly. The only salvation in such situations is regular and careful tooth brushing.

Important

Prostheses have no effect on gingivitis

Many people believe that gingivitis is caused by dentures and orthodontic appliances. There is also a dispute over this issue among doctors. However, recent studies have shown that the mere fact of wearing a well-chosen prosthesis or appliance does not contribute to the development of gingivitis. However, on the condition that the patient properly and very carefully cleans not only his own teeth, but also artificial teeth or braces.

It is difficult to maintain proper oral hygiene when wearing an orthodontic appliance or a removable denture. But this can also be remedied by using a suitable brush, mouthwash and floss.

Gingivitis - symptoms

The symptoms of gingivitis are already visible after 3-4 weeks of plaque build-up. Because of this, 90 percent of them suffer. population, including children. The statistical incidence of the disease increases after the age of 35.

Gingivitis is not age-related, however. The only exception to this rule may be hormonal disorders that appear at certain stages of life, e.g. in adolescence, in pregnant women and during menopause.

  • excessive tartar build-up
  • softening of the gums, their redness and swelling
  • bleeding while brushing your teeth with a toothbrush and then while brushing your teethbiting food, even not too hard
  • dental neck hypersensitivity to hot and cold
  • dryness, disgust and bad breath
  • lowering of tooth necks
  • loosening of teeth

Gingivitis - the impact of diet on the condition of the gums

The gums react to the lack of vitamins and minerals just like our entire body. The mechanism is simple - the lack of nutrients in the body leads to a weakening of the immune system, and therefore malnutrition of individual cells. Weakened cells that make up the gums are much easier to become infected with bacteria. If nutritional deficiencies are combined with insufficient hygiene, it is not difficult to get into trouble.

When inflammation reaches the corners of our mouth, we are most likely iron deficient. If inflammatory changes are visible on the gums and tongue - usually B vitamins and folic acid are missing. A strong inflammation of the gums indicates a deficiency of vitamin C.

According to dentists, for the proper development of teeth and maintaining gums in good condition, we need a complete diet. That is why most of them are against vegetarianism - a diet that deprives the body of many valuable substances. They also talk negatively about poor or one-ingredient slimming diets.

The most effective and the least annoying washing is the sweeping technique. If you have calculus and plaque on your teeth, and the gums are not very painful, it is best to use a brush with medium bristle hardness. When inflammation develops, a soft brush can be used. However, we must go to the dentist as soon as possible, who will professionally remove limescale and plaque.

Right after the treatment, we use a soft brush. Start cleaning from the side of the gums and by pulling the brush down, food remains are removed.

When brushing your teeth, the force with which you press the brush is less important, the most important is the time spent on this activity.

We clean the chewing surfaces by scrubbing them in all directions. From the side of the tongue and palate, brush the teeth lengthwise - from top to bottom. Classic scrubbing of all surfaces is not good. Fluffed gums will be even more damaged and worn away. They will start to fade away.

The gingival margins are made of a very delicate tissue. It's easy to damage. It can be said that under the influence of continuous injuries, the gums will start to run away from further injuries. Then the so-called root cement, i.e. the part of the tooth that is very susceptible to abrasion.

Root cement is formed by thousands of tubules (a sponge-like structure) that nourish the tooth. This porous onethe surface is susceptible to wiping if the gums do not cover it. When they are missing, the so-called necks that react with pain to cold and hot foods.

Gingivitis - treatment

The choice of treatment method usually depends on the degree of disease development and the type of damage to the gums. Regardless of the severity of the disease, the first stage of treatment is always to carefully remove the sediment and calculus. If the inflammation hasn't wreaked too much havoc, sometimes treatment can stop there.

The patient must, however, maintain an impeccable cleanliness of the oral cavity and give up smoking. When there is not enough improvement after the hygienic procedure, the doctor may use special gingival inserts and rinses.

If there is no improvement, the following are possible solutions. As a rule, general blood tests are performed first to check that the cause of gingivitis is not due to, for example, diabetes, vitamin or mineral deficiencies. If these suspicions are not confirmed, the dentist should check whether the causes of inflammation are not so-called traumatic nodes. They are formed in places where the pressure of individual teeth is too strong. When some are large and some are small - they do not fit together and do not touch each other accurately. In such situations, partial grinding of protruding teeth can solve the problem of repeated gingivitis.

With advanced inflammation, it is necessary to administer antibiotics and preparations increasing the body's resistance. At this stage, it is also recommended to use rinses that soften the sediment (the so-called primary) or have a bactericidal effect for a long time (the so-called secondary).

Good results are also obtained after using a healing gel, which the patient can apply to the diseased areas on his own. It is important to carefully rub the gel into the gums so that the medicinal substance gets into the gingival pocket.

If the inflammation has caused gingivitis to grow, surgical correction of their size may be necessary. Too overgrown (sometimes they look like frills), you need to cut them out to make it easier to keep clean. The procedure is performed under anesthesia. The surgeon uses an ordinary scalpel, electric knife or laser for this. After such treatment, the tissue heals quite quickly.

With a very advanced disease, when the gingival pockets are deeper than 6 mm, the tooth root must also be cleaned of plaque and calculus. This is a serious operation as it requires a deep incision in the gum. Stitches are applied after the surgery, and rehabilitation may take up to several weeks. The only way to avoid such surgery is regular and thoroughtooth cleaning. It definitely pays off more.

How to care for the gums?

  • The basic condition for maintaining he althy gums is careful tooth brushing, cleaning interdental spaces with dental floss, using toothpicks and toothpicks (they should not be confused with toothpicks used in the kitchen - dental ones are wedge-shaped, thanks to which you can thoroughly clean the spaces between the teeth. teeth).
  • The use of an appropriate toothpaste is decisive for mouth hygiene. It is best when it is white (or the foam formed from it is white) - then it is easier to notice even a slight bleeding of the gums. The use of fabric softeners gives good results.
  • It is worth remembering that 40 percent. the surface of the teeth is the area that the toothbrush cannot reach. That is why it is so important to use other cleaning and rinsing techniques as well. People who have very tightly positioned teeth and find it difficult to clean the interdental spaces with thread should use special dental irrigators.
  • The condition of the gums is also determined by regular visits to the dentist (every 6-12 months, depending on individual needs). If we visit the dentist regularly, we will not miss the onset of gingivitis.

Home remedies for gingivitis

Popular guides say that gingivitis can be successfully treated on its own. However, specialists say that it is quite risky. Gum-related diseases can be very complicated. Their neglect and improper treatment can even lead to tooth loss.

So, before starting the treatment on your own, it is better to consult a doctor to assess the inflammatory changes.

The only thing that can be recommended with a clear conscience is prophylactic rinsing of the mouth after brushing the teeth with herbal infusions. Chamomile flower extract has anti-inflammatory properties. Thyme and sage leaves also prevent ailments. Purple brush or oak bark tincture works in a similar way.

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Dentistry and Orthodontics