Gingivitis

What Is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the earliest stage of periodontal disease. It can develop when dental plaque builds up on your teeth, causing inflammation of your gums. Consequently, they can start to bleed, become red and swollen.

What Can Cause Gingivitis?

The main reason for developing gingivitis is lax oral care. If you fail to remove dental plaque through regular brushing and flossing, it doesn’t take long before your gum tissues become irritated and inflamed.

Other reasons why gingivitis can develop can include:

• A family history of gum disease.
• Misaligned teeth that are trickier to keep clean.
• Having diabetes or another medical issue that makes it harder to fight infections.
• Being a smoker or using other tobacco products.
• Hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.

Many over-the-counter and prescription medications can increase the risk of developing gingivitis as they cause dry mouth or xerostomia as a side effect. Xerostomia affects the ability to produce sufficient saliva, resulting in a drier mouth. The drier conditions created by xerostomia allow harmful bacteria to thrive.

These drugs can include:

• Antihistamines.
• Calcium blockers for blood pressure.
• Medications for colds and flu.
• Oral contraceptives.
• Antidepressants.

Symptoms of Gingivitis

Symptoms can include:

• Red, swollen gums.
• Bleeding gums, especially when you brush or floss.
• Persistent bad breath.
• Increasing sensitivity to hot and cold foods.
• Discomfort or tenderness when you bite or chew food.

The Importance of Not Ignoring the Early Signs of Gum Disease

It can be very easy to ignore the signs since they are relatively mild, but it’s vital that you don’t. Instead, seek prompt dental care by scheduling a dental exam.

Gingivitis will get worse without treatment, and before long, it can develop into periodontitis, a more severe form of gum disease, which can be chronic.

It is far trickier to treat periodontitis, and there is a real risk of tooth loss or that the disease could begin to affect your general health.

Diagnosing Gingivitis

Gingivitis can be easily diagnosed during a general dental exam. Before your dental exam begins, our dentist will ask you about any changes to your dental health or concerns, as well as any recent changes to your medical health.

During your exam, our dentist will examine your gums for signs of infection, including redness, swelling, and bleeding. They will look for other signs, such as gums that have begun to pull away from the teeth, creating pockets between the teeth and gums.

If signs of advanced disease are detected, digital X-rays may be taken to evaluate bone levels. Bone loss may indicate progression to periodontitis, requiring specialized periodontal treatment such as deep cleaning or LANAP laser therapy.

Any decline in these bone levels could indicate a more severe form of gum disease; in this case, we will refer you to our periodontist for specialized treatment.

Treating Gingivitis

Treating gingivitis is straightforward, typically involving nonsurgical treatments in combination with a more effective oral care routine at home. The treatments we may advise could include:

• Routine dental cleaning.This is to remove plaque and tartar buildup and may be sufficient if you only have very mild symptoms.
• Scaling and root planing.This is a deep dental cleaning used to treat the early signs of gum recession. It removes plaque and tartar buildup from teeth and any tooth roots exposed by gum recession, eliminating bacteria and allowing your gums to heal and fit more snugly around your teeth.
• Antimicrobial mouthwash.We may prescribe an antimicrobial mouthwash to use at home, and suggest a suitable brand to purchase over-the-counter. Using this product can help control harmful bacteria levels more easily.

After receiving professional dental care for gingivitis, you will need to spend more time thoroughly cleaning your teeth. Our hygiene team can work with you, sharing the best techniques and tools to use. It’s essential to follow their advice closely, even if your gums bleed initially.

If you continue brushing and flossing thoroughly after treatment, you will quickly see your gums become stronger and healthier, and they will stop bleeding.

Pregnancy Gingivitis Treatment

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause your gums to become more sensitive to the bacteria in dental plaque and tartar. Consequently, they become red, swollen, and begin to bleed. These symptoms can start as soon as the first trimester.

If you are pregnant, we suggest scheduling a dental checkup as soon as possible. Routine dentistry is perfectly safe during pregnancy, and if you have any signs of pregnancy gingivitis, we can provide appropriate treatment. It is especially important to see us regularly if you already have signs of gum disease, as these could worsen during pregnancy and may even affect your baby.

Preventing Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a preventable disease through practising good oral care.

• Brush at least twice daily, for at least two minutes each time.
• Floss daily to remove plaque and food particles from between your teeth.
• Don’t smoke or quit smoking and using other tobacco products.
• Eat healthily and don’t snack on sugary and starchy foods between meals.
• Have biannual dental exams and hygiene appointments.

During your first dental appointment, we can assess your risk of developing gum disease. If it is higher, we may recommend more frequent checkups and cleanings, as well as other preventive dental care strategies.

NYC Dentistry Center
6 E 45th St #801
New York, NY 10017
(45th St. btw 5th Ave / Madison Ave)
(212) 518-6096

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