{"id":370,"date":"2016-06-28T18:16:41","date_gmt":"2016-06-28T18:16:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/devotedfamilydental.com\/blog\/?p=370"},"modified":"2017-04-27T20:36:21","modified_gmt":"2017-04-27T20:36:21","slug":"what-is-gingivitis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devotedfamilydental.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/28\/what-is-gingivitis\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Gingivitis?"},"content":{"rendered":"Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums (gingiva), which typically result from an accumulation of films of bacteria on the teeth. However, if not properly treated, gingivitis can advance to a more severe condition known as periodontitis that can eventually lead to teeth loss.\r\n\r\nGingivitis is characterized by change in color of the gums from pink to red, swollen gums, and bleeding after brushing teeth. Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the best solutions to Gingivitis. Ensuring proper and regular brushing using antiseptic mouthwash along with flossing have been found to be of great help in handling gingivitis.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAccording to The World Workshop in Clinical Periodontics, gingival diseases are of two types:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Dental plaque-induced gingival disease<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Non-plaque induced gingival lesions<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>What are the signs and symptoms of gingivitis?<\/strong>\r\n\r\nSymptoms of mild gingivitis may go unnoticed since the condition is mild. However, one should seek immediate medical attention.\r\n\r\nSome of the common gingivitis signs and symptoms include:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Bright red or purple gums<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Gums are tender once touched, and at times painful<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Bleeding gums (especially when brushing or flossing)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Halitosis (bad mouth odor)<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Swollen gums<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Receding gums<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Sensitive gums<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>What are the causes of gingivitis?<\/strong>\r\n\r\nPlaque and tartar accumulation\r\n\r\nThe most evident cause of gingivitis is bacterial plaque accumulation between and surrounding the teeth; this produces an immune response that can result in the destruction of gum tissue, eventually leading to complications, such as the loss of teeth.\r\n\r\nPlaque is a thin biofilm of bacteria. It naturally and consistently accumulates on your teeth surface. While plaque progresses, it hardens and turns into tartar. Moreover, as plaque extends under the gingival line, you can develop an infection. You may eventually experience irritating gums as a result of plaque and tartar.\r\n\r\nSome of the other causes of Gingivitis include:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Hormonal changes &#8211; during puberty, menopause, pregnancy and menstrual cycle.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Poor nutrition.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Certain diseases &#8211; for instance, leukemia, diabetes, and HIV.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Drugs &#8211; such as steroids, cancer therapy medications.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Tobacco usage &#8211; regular smokers usually develop gingivitis, unlike non-smokers.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Family history &#8211; according to medical experts, if your parent had gingivitis, you are at a greater risk of suffering from the condition.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Gingivitis Diagnosis and treatment options<\/strong>\r\n\r\nYour visit to your dentist or oral hygienist includes checking for any symptoms of gingivitis, for instance, plaque and tartar. Your gums are also probed using a small ruler to check for gum inflammation or X-ray to check for any bone loss.\r\n\r\nIf gingivitis is identified early enough, you will be referred to a periodontist (specialist in gum diseases treatment) where you will receive immediate treatment and follow-up procedures performed at home.\r\n\r\nGingivitis professional treatment includes:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Removal of Plaque and tartar a procedure referred to as scaling.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Your dental expert explains to you on how to observe good oral hygiene as well as its importance.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>You will have regular checkups and professional cleaning of your teeth<\/li>\r\n\t<li>To make it easy to treat gingivitis, your dentist may be required to fix your teeth if you have crooked teeth or wrongly fixed crowns and bridges.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nCare at Home:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Teeth cleaning should be done on a twice a day basis<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Use electric toothbrushes as they brush better than doing it yourself.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Floss your teeth daily, at least once.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Ask your dentist for a recommended antiseptic mouthwash to rinse your mouth regularly.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<strong>Possible complications from gingivitis<\/strong>\r\n\r\nIn most of the cases, if gingivitis is treated early and the patient follows the correct instructions from a professional, future complication are prevented too. If however the condition is not checked, the disease spreads from the gum and starts affecting the tissues, bones and teeth, and eventually leading to periodontitis.\r\n\r\nThere are possible complications that may develop from gingivitis which may include:\r\n<ul>\r\n\t<li>Gingival abscess<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Trench mouth &#8211; bacterial infection which causes ulceration.<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Jaw bones abscess<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Periodontitis<\/li>\r\n\t<li>Gingivitis keeps recurring<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nAccording to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gingivitis can be linked to greater risk of stroke, diabetes, lung disease, and heart attack. Pregnant women also have higher risks of delivering premature babies.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums (gingiva), which typically result from an accumulation of films of bacteria on the teeth. However, if not properly treated, gingivitis can advance to a more severe condition known as periodontitis that can eventually lead to teeth loss. Gingivitis is characterized by change in color of the gums from pink to red, swollen gums, and bleeding after brushing teeth. Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the best solutions to Gingivitis. Ensuring proper and regular brushing using antiseptic mouthwash along with flossing have been found to be of great help in handling gingivitis. <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.devotedfamilydental.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/28\/what-is-gingivitis\/\">(Read More)<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":371,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dental-diseases"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Gingivitis? - Devoted Family Dental Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.devotedfamilydental.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/28\/what-is-gingivitis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is Gingivitis? - Devoted Family Dental Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums (gingiva), which typically result from an accumulation of films of bacteria on the teeth. However, if not properly treated, gingivitis can advance to a more severe condition known as periodontitis that can eventually lead to teeth loss. Gingivitis is characterized by change in color of the gums from pink to red, swollen gums, and bleeding after brushing teeth. Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the best solutions to Gingivitis. 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