Gingivitis can threaten to your health

When talking about the different structures inside your mouth, the gums are probably the most sensitive part.

They are responsible in holding the teeth in a well-organized manner, so to facilitate overcrowding. And since there are tiny blood vessels in it, they are also responsible in supplying adequate nutrition to the teeth.

In addition of being the most sensitive, the gums are oftentimes the site of common “easy-to-treat” diseases, and even oral diseases that are quite complicated to cure.
One of these diseases that cause less pain, but a dreadful complication is Gingivitis. It is very common among the people in the United States, and in many other countries as well.
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gum tissues brought about by an invasion of bacteria. These microorganisms tend to invade the gums, and after penetrating into it, they will reproduce in an adequate number enough to swell the surrounding tissues, or in some worse scenario, uproot a tooth or set of teeth.

Persons who are most at risk to gingivitis are those who are negligent of their oral care. A grimy oral cavity is the best housing unit for bacteria to stay for a longer period of time. Aside from it, people who are suffering for some disease condition such as Diabetes Mellitus, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and AIDS, can also easily acquire the disease due to their suppressed immune system, which is a very common feature of these disorders.

The signs and symptoms of gingivitis are easily recognizable. These include swollen gums, bright-red gums or sometimes may appear purple, mouth sores, easy bleeding on the gum area, and a gum that endures pain especially when pressure is applied.
Recognizing these signs symptoms at once will prompt a person to visit his or her dentist. The dentist will be the one responsible to rule out the disease, and to offer immediate treatment for the condition.

Usually the dentist will perform a thorough clean up after diagnosing it as gingivitis. The concentrated effort to wash off the microorganisms will be done on the teeth and gums, as well as on other surrounding areas inside the mouth. After which, he will remove the plaque that develop on the disease process, and he will ask the person to gargle brine water or other mouthwash that are non-alcohol based.
It is expected that within one to two weeks, the inflammation will be reduce, and a normal gum line will be achieve.

However, if gingivitis is not treated, and no appropriate attention was given, it can result to a more complicated disease called Perionditis, which is already very difficult to cure. Perionditis can cause more pain, and bring more discomfort. It can even totally eradicate every tooth a person has. Usually, the dentist will suggest for a drug therapy session and/or surgical intervention to wipe out the disease. So that means, it will cost a person a greater amount of time and money.

So it is very important to keep in mind that prevention is still better than cure, and while having not acquired this diseases so far, one should observe proper oral hygiene and supplement it with a balance diet.

Different causes of toothache require different treatments

People experience toothaches of varying degrees of pain. This is because there are several causes of toothache, and different causes call for different treatments.

One common cause of toothache is the presence of cavities. Poor oral habits cause cavities; these are holes on the surface of the teeth. The enamel and dentin are become weak when the simple sugars are converted to acid plaque. Because of the acid plaque, the enamel and dentin fail to protect the pulp of the tooth. The holes start out small, but become larger and larger as it is left untreated. In most cases, the holes trap food particles, thus the problem must be addressed immediately. Cavities cause tooth decay; this is why most people experience toothaches.

While cavities can cause much discomfort to a person, the situation can be prevented from becoming worse. In cases where the tooth decay is just minor, a person can have his or her cavities filled by the dentist. The dentist removes the areas of the teeth with decay. This is done by drilling out the decayed area; it is important not to leave even a pinpoint of cavity, because this can again cause the cavity to spread. After the area with cavity is taken out, the hole is covered with the appropriate filling.

In other cases where the tooth’s state is beyond what filling can do, then the patient undergoes a root canal. This prevents toothaches in the future. Other dentists opt to have the decayed tooth taken out. The tooth is then replaced with a crown or a bridge.

Another cause of a toothache is an impacted wisdom tooth. A wisdom tooth may not grow normally, and this causes the person to feel pain in the gums and the jaw. Since there is not enough space in the gums, then the gums start to swell because of the erupting tooth. In other cases when the tooth does not grow upright, gum pockets form. These pockets trap bacteria, and this leads to a bad toothache.
In some situations, the gum area around the wisdom tooth is cut up to provide space to the new tooth. This remedy works for some people, and they will not need to have their wisdom tooth taken out. However, in cases where the impacted tooth is causing serious problems, then the patient is prescribed to undergo oral surgery. A dentist or oral surgeon performs the procedure; a small cut is made on the gums in the affected area. A portion of the bone may also be taken out to make the tooth extraction easier. Stitches allow the gums to heal faster.

Gum disease also causes toothaches. Gingivitis usually starts when a person fails to brush and floss regularly. In effect, the person’s gums bleeds easily whenever he or she brushes the teeth. Periodontitis develops because of poor oral hygiene, pockets form in between the gums and the teeth. Gums recede as bacteria accumulates; when the situation worsens, tooth loss occurs.

To treat gum disease, regular cleaning is prescribed. Prophylaxes done at least twice a year assure that plaque and tartar do not build up. Scaling and root planing (SRP) is another option for patients with more serious conditions. At the end of the day, it really pays to practice good oral hygiene. By brushing and flossing regularly and properly, a person is less likely to develop gum disease.

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