When thinking about your smile, your first thought is your teeth. Right? While your teeth are crucial to your smile, other things impact your overall smile. Your gums aren’t just the space around your teeth — they bring balance to your smile and enhance the beauty of your teeth. Plus, healthy gums prevent harmful bacteria from infecting your tooth roots.
While gums may not be the frontline stars of your smile, they are integral in your overall oral health. So, when you have signs of gum disease, “don’t wait it out.” Instead, seek treatment from Park Dental Care of Carol Stream, Illinois while it’s reversible!
What is gingivitis?
Gingivitis is a form of gum disease that inflames the tissue surrounding the teeth, often resulting in bleeding and swelling of the gums. The inflammation is the body’s natural response to fighting off bacteria caused by plaque and tartar build-up. While your mouth naturally contains bacteria, if these organisms aren’t controlled with proper dental hygiene, they will likely cause gum infections.
Fortunately, gingivitis is reversible when you seek treatment early on. However, if you delay treatment, it’s only a matter of time before the condition morphs into full-blown periodontitis that can cause gum recession, bad breath, and tooth loss.
What are the common causes of gingivitis?
Poor oral hygiene is the number one cause of gum disease. When you don’t brush and floss, plaque accumulates on the teeth and below the gum line. Bacteria found on the plaque produce substances that irritate the gums, causing gum redness and even bleeding.
The other factors that cause gingivitis include:
- Tobacco use: Smoking impedes the normal functionality of gum tissue cells — this puts your mouth at an increased risk of infections like gum disease.
- Poor nutrition: When your diet doesn’t have enough vitamin C and water, it’s a recipe for gum infections. Plus, high indulgence in sugary foods increases the risk of gum disease.
- Genetics: If your family has a history of gum disease, it’s worth mentioning to your dentist to pay a closer look.
- Certain medications: Drugs that inhibit saliva production leave your mouth dry, increasing the risk of gum disease.
- Chronic diseases: Medical conditions like stress, cancer, HIV, and diabetes weaken your immunity, reducing your body’s ability to fight off infections, including gum disease.
Gum disease treatment
When most patients notice early signs of gingivitis, they are likely to brush it off as just another infection. Most usually say:
- “It’s just a swelling. It will go away.”
- “It’s just a few blood spots, no big deal.”
- “I am busy. I will go to the dentist when I get time.”
The problem is that delaying gingivitis treatment jeopardizes your oral health and overall body health. Dr. Evelyn Maggos and her team treat gingivitis by encouraging diligent at-home oral care — brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and mouth rinsing.
To help remove stubborn plaque and tartar, we recommend a deep cleaning that involves two procedures. Scaling removes plaque below the gum and on the surface of the teeth. Root planing smoothes out the teeth to encourage reattachment of the gums.