Dental Care Concerns: What You Need to Know About Gingivitis

Gingivitis is commonly confused for mild irritation or bleeding gums. Because of these, many people tend to ignore these minor yet harmless effects. Although these oral care conditions aren’t serious, untreated gingivitis can lead to more severe conditions.

Getting to Know Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the first sign of gum disease which can lead to more dangerous conditions like periodontitis. This can start with simple irritation but eventually, lead to infection of gum tissue. Besides tooth loss, you can also develop other medical illnesses that can affect other parts of your body besides oral health.

The best way to prevent any medical illness is to be more aware of it. This is why being familiar with gingivitis can teach you the right way to approach it yourself or if you need professional treatment.

In this article, we’ll share five facts you need to know about gingivitis.

1. Gingivitis Starts with Poor Hygiene

The most common cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene. Once bacteria turns into plaque, the gums can get irritated and inflamed. Unfortunately, your mouth will always form plaque as it increases in volume due to combined bacteria and sugars stuck on your teeth. This leads to the development of tartar below the gumline.

Since plaque reforms daily, it’s important to brush regularly to prevent this from happening. Otherwise, you’ll have the early beginnings of gingivitis due to tartar growth. At this stage, it’s necessary to get deep cleaning from a dental hygienist.

2. Gingivitis Symptoms

The symptoms of gingivitis are noticeable through bleeding or swollen gums, indicating the buildup of tartar under the gum line. A person can also see these signs visually through dark red marks along the gums.

As Gingivitis progresses, a person will develop greater sensitivity in teeth and even have bad breath. This is because the tartar buildup will eventually do more than irritate the gums. They will start forming small pockets between teeth and gums, allowing bacteria and debris to collect. These sites will be a breeding ground for infections that can pass through the rest of your body.

Over time, your immune system will attempt to subdue the toxins sent throughout your body. However, your immune system can attack itself and break down bone and connective tissue keeping your teeth in place. Because of this, there will be more space for bacteria to settle in, eventually leading to tooth loss.

3. Gingivitis can lead to Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease happens when a person’s gingivitis isn’t treated appropriately. Periodontal disease can cause complications with your bite, a feeling of looseness along with your teeth, or chronic pain with your gums. Since gingivitis can show mild systems for a long time, patients may not realize they’re already dealing with periodontitis.

The cost of treating advanced gum disease will require x-rays and invasive treatments, which will be an expensive endeavor. This is why it’s advised to prevent gingivitis from reaching this phase. Maintaining a meticulous oral hygiene routine is the first and most crucial step to doing so.

Conclusion

Standard oral care routines should be enough to keep gingivitis at bay. Following the habit of brushing your teeth after meals, flossing, and washing your mouth with mouthwash is a great start. However, it’s not a complete preventative dental care solution. For this reason, you should always consult with a dentist to confirm your dental health

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