Among children and adults, gum infection is one of the common oral concerns. Sadly, less attention is given to our dental health, which is why this problem is conspicuous. Prolonged gum infection that is not treated will spread from the infected site to other areas of the mouth and eventually affect parts of the body.
When gum infection has reached the secondary stage, patients may experience serious pain and discomfort. But the good news is you can treat and avoid gum disease simply by adopting a great dental routine early on.
In this article, you will learn about gum infection, its causes, signs and symptoms, preventive measures and treatment.
Defining gum infection
Certain factors can trigger gum infection, sometimes referred to as periodontal or gum disease.
Topping the list of causes of gum infection is poor dental hygiene. A great dental routine involves brushing at least twice a day – one time in the morning and at any other time and flossing at least once daily, especially at night. This follows the recommendation of the dentist. Flossing before bedtime is encouraged as it helps you get rid of every bit of food that may have been stuck between your teeth and around the gum line.
Toxic bacteria are living inside the mouth, below and around the gums that infect the gum.
Not giving your mouth the oral care it deserves opens the door to gum infection. To assist mouth care, the use of mouthwash can kill harmful bacteria. However, choose a non-alcoholic mouthwash to avoid a dry mouth and damage to the tooth enamel.
Poor cleaning of the teeth will encourage bacteria to thrive and the formation of plaque.
What causes gum infection?
Most cases of gum infection are associated with zero or inadequate dental care. There are times where the type of food you eat can also cause your gums to get infected. A diet deficient in vitamin C causes gum deterioration.
The food and drinks you take should be monitored. They can harm your teeth. To prevent this, reduce the amount of junk you eat and always rinse your mouth after eating or snacking. The importance of this is to reach into the space between the teeth and gum line, free and move food particles hiding there so that harmful bacteria don’t feed on them.
Signs and symptoms of gum infection
Depending on whether the gum infection is benign or malignant, the symptoms are more than one. Visit a hygienist in your area if you have common symptoms of gum infections which includes:
- Chewing difficulty
- Gums that bleed during flossing or brushing
- Teeth sensitivity that’s mild or serious
- Gums that look red, swollen and tender
- Loose or fallen teeth
- A receding gums line
It doesn’t matter what symptoms you have or how serious the gum disease is; gum infection is not a pleasurable experience. With this knowledge, it becomes important that you take your dental health more seriously and employ preventive measures throughout your lifetime.
How to prevent gum infection
Interestingly, it is way simpler to stall gum infection – beginning with your daily dental care at home. Follow your dentist’s advice on how to brush and floss. Do these twice and once a day, respectively. As many times as you eat in a day, if possible, floss your teeth in-between. While this may seem like too much work, dentists have advised that flossing be done before sleeping at night.
Since you are not flossing in the day, develop the habit of rinsing your mouth after eating. This will free and clear out bits of food hanging between teeth.
Visit your dentist regularly for checkups so they can examine your teeth to diagnose any symptoms of gum disease on time and have them professionally cleaned. This visit can be once in 4 or 6 months or as recommended by the dentist. If gum disease is quickly identified, it will make the treatment to be fast and effective. Again, early treatment will not give the gum disease time to become more serious.
Regular dental checkups and cleaning can help your dentist give you a more personal treatment.
Treatment for gum infection
Your dentist can recommend so many different functional treatments for gum disease following what you need and prefer. Options for treating gum infection are:
- Oil pulling. In place of mouthwash, this option can be used as it is a natural healthy treatment. For instance, coconut oil, an edible oil, can be used to rinse the mouth out. Oil is said to contain antimicrobial properties that can alleviate enlarged gums.
- Following how severe your gum infection is, the dentist may ask that you take antibiotics in the form of pills or injections.
- Root planing. Here, your teeth and gums are thoroughly cleaned out from the root.
- In this treatment, surgery is done to take out the gum tissue that has been infected.
- Saltwater rinse. This is more common. It is an all-natural disinfectant that can soothe inflamed gums. Use saltwater (table salt and water mixed together) to rinse your mouth two times a day for optimum results.
- Oral surgery. A lot of dentists do recommend this option when all other options seem not to be working. It is more like a last resort where the infection has become more serious. An experienced dentist carries out this treatment.
Finally
Should you be going through any of the signs of gum disease mentioned above, you should see a hygienist in your area. You can visit Dentalhygienist.london, they offer the treatment for cases of gum infection and can help you prevent it as well. Don’t allow a gum infection to ruin your dental health. Note that it is critical you clean your teeth all the time as it is a sure way of preventing gum infection.
