Gingivitis is the first phase of gum disease (periodontal). It is the inflammation of the gums due to bacterial and plaque accumulation, which begins to break down the teeth's supporting structures, but does not cause tooth loss. Its symptoms include swollen, sensitive, receding, or bleeding gums when you brush. If you notice these signs and symptoms, seek professional medical attention immediately to prevent more severe gum disease issues; gingivitis is reversible.

A Brief Overview of Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the initial stage of periodontal disease (gum disease). Gum disease is the infection and inflammation of tissues that support your teeth.

You can treat gingivitis, mainly with the assistance of a qualified dentist. However, if left untreated. The condition can result in advanced periodontitis, which is characterized by bone loss that can make teeth loose and finally fall out.

The prevalence of periodontal disease is a major public health concern in the country, as two in five adults are impacted by some type of periodontal disease. Substantial disparities continue to impact some population groups, and smoking is a primary risk factor.

Gum disease is also more common in men than in women. It affects more than 50% of men and 35% of women.

How to Know You Have Gingivitis

Gingivitis signs and symptoms do not manifest in the initial stages; you might suffer from it without realizing it. However, as the disease worsens, you might develop:

  • Bleeding gums, mainly when brushing your teeth

  • Bad breath (halitosis) that does not disappear, even when you brush

  • Tooth sensitivity to cold or hot foods and drinks

  • Pain or tenderness when chewing

  • Swollen, red gums

What Causes Gingivitis

Plaque buildup is the primary cause of periodontal disease. Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on teeth. If you fail to remove it through daily flossing, brushing, and routine dental cleaning, it can lead to various oral health problems, including gum disease.

Plaque contains saliva, food debris, and bacteria. When you eat, the bacteria in the mouth feed on food particles, including carbohydrates and sugars. It breaks down the food into a sticky, acidic film, which is dental plaque. It makes your teeth feel and look fuzzy.

Tartar is a hardened plaque. If you fail to remove plaque often, it will become tartar. You cannot floss or brush it away; only a dental hygienist or dentist can remove it.

Risk Factors

You are more prone to develop this condition if any of the following are true:

  • You experience a hormonal change related to your oral health

  • You are expectant

  • You have misaligned teeth that are challenging to clean

  • You do not take good care of your teeth

  • You suffer from diabetes

  • You chew or smoke tobacco

  • You have a family history of periodontal disease

Additionally, some medications and prescriptions can reduce saliva flow, leading to xerostomia (dry mouth). Saliva helps clean your mouth; a reduction might contribute to the development of gingivitis. These medications are as follows:

  • Oral contraceptives

  • Specific cancer therapies

  • Epilepsy treatment medication

  • Calcium channel blockers for blood pressure

Is Gingivitis and Gum Disease Contagious

The bacteria that cause gum disease are transmitted from one individual to another via saliva-to-saliva contact.

You are not prone to this oral condition from sharing utensils or kissing. However, if you have saliva-to-saliva contact with an individual with gingivitis, you are more susceptible to developing the disease. It holds if you suffer from a disease that makes you more vulnerable to disease, including leukemia or HIV/AIDS, or if you do not practice proper oral hygiene.

How Your Qualified Dentist Will Diagnose Gingivitis

During your dental exam, your experienced dentist will perform various tests to diagnose this type of gum disease. Dentists can diagnose the condition early in dental exams, and the section below discusses what to expect.

Examining You for Signs of Gingivitis

Your dentist will comprehensively examine your gums and teeth for signs of the initial phase of plaque and tooth cavities.

The dental professional will also examine the color and shape of the lingual side of every tooth and the gingival tissue on your cheeks. The existence of abscesses or ulcers and painful, red, peeling, or swollen gums means you have tartar and plaque.

Your dentist will check tooth sensitivity, tooth movement, and proper tooth alignment. The dentist tests the movement by pushing every tooth between two (2) handles and checking for movement. The movement indicates bone loss.

The Dentist will Review Your Medical History

Your dentist will thoroughly review your medical history to identify current or past periodontal disease or any underlying health conditions that may contribute to gingivitis.

Additionally, your dentist will inquire about your oral hygiene practices, dietary habits, medications, and lifestyle, including smoking and alcohol use.

Conducting Diagnostic Imaging

One way to identify tooth damage and decay is by performing an X-ray. The X-ray might detect tiny lesions of tooth decay that have not yet caused tooth cavities. Diagnostic imaging also helps determine whether bone loss has happened and the seriousness of gum involvement.

Periodontal Probing

The dentist might use periodontal probing for gum disease. The dental probe is a thin, long stick that the dentist inserts beside your tooth under your gum line and places the tip into your gum pocket. Its tip touches the region where your tooth attaches to connective tissues. Next, the dentist moves the probe to six different points on every tooth, three (3) on your lingual side and three on your buccal side, and measures the depth that the dental probe reaches at every point.

When you have healthy gums, the attachment to your tooth is firm, and the dental probe will not move far below your gum line. The dental probing test allows your dental expert to assess the status of your connective tissues and the extent of gingival overgrowth or recession. Typically, the normal depth for the dental probe to slide is 1 to 3 millimeters. Deep probe sliding might indicate gum disease.

Dental Swab

Trench mouth (the formation of infectious ulcers on your gums) is a complication of gingivitis. Your dentist can use a swab to collect samples of discharge from the ulcers, then use a microscope to examine them to detect the causing bacteria. That way, your dentist can develop your treatment plan.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Pregnancy gingivitis is a form of gingivitis that can occur when you are pregnant. A substantial increase in progesterone and estrogen hormones causes pregnancy gingivitis. These hormones do the following:

  • Increase blood flow to the gums, leading to bleeding, soreness, and inflammation

  • Change sensitivity to plaque

You are more prone to developing pregnancy gingivitis if you have a history of periodontal disease, eat acidic and sugary foods, use tobacco products, vomit frequently due to morning sickness, and do not practice oral hygiene habits.

Please note that there is no proof that gingivitis can harm the fetus. However, if left untreated, gingivitis can result in periodontitis, which can increase the possibility of low birth weight and preterm birth.

You might start experiencing the symptom as early as your first trimester. However, the symptoms worsen during the second and third trimesters.

How to Treat Gingivitis

Unlike other stages of periodontal disease, you can treat gingivitis if you catch it early. Here are different treatment methods:

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and planning describe a deep dental cleaning. It goes beyond regular dental cleaning, reaching deeper beneath the gums.

When you visit your dentist for tooth scaling and planing, the dentist will do the following:

  • Administer local anesthesia to numb the gums

  • Scale (remove) tartar and plaque from the teeth (both below and above the gums)

  • Plane (smooth) the tooth roots

The dentist will use ultrasonic instruments or hand scalers to clean the teeth. Additionally, they can inject antibiotics around the tooth roots or prescribe oral antibiotics that you should take following the dental procedure.

Your dentist might take two hours to complete the treatment procedure. The dentist might perform everything in a single appointment. Alternatively, they might clean half your teeth during one dental visit and the remaining half during the second appointment. It depends mainly on your preferences, your oral health, and your dental health insurance plan.

Technically, you will require scaling and root planing once. Once the dental hygienist removes the bacteria and tartar, proper oral hygiene and regular cleanings should assist you in keeping you on track. The objective is to improve your gum health so you will not require another deep cleaning.

Please note that deep dental cleaning carries risks, although they are rare. These potential risks are as follows:

  • Bleeding

  • Gum recession

  • Loose teeth

  • Infection

  • Tenderness

  • Teeth sensitivity

How to Prevent the Development of Gingivitis

Here are some things you can consider doing to prevent the development of gingivitis:

Eating Healthy Foods

A well-balanced, healthy diet plays a significant role in maintaining healthy, strong gums and teeth. The section below discusses some foods that can help prevent gum disease.

  • Ginger—Ginger is considered a healing herb due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It promotes healthy gum tissues. You can try ginger tea, kombucha, make a low-sugar ginger sweet treat, or toss the ginger into your soup.

  • Raw onions—While a raw onion can cause bad breath, it has antimicrobial sulfur compounds that fight gum disease and tooth cavity-causing bacteria.

  • Shitake mushroom—It has entinan, which is a natural sugar, that kills plaque-causing bacteria and leaves the good bacteria intact. It also helps boost your immune system.

  • Apples—Eating an apple increases saliva production, which triggers the teeth-cleaning action that removes plaque that sticks to your gums and teeth. You can eat it whole or sliced.

  • Dairy—Dairy products, including milk, yogurt, and cheese, are rich in calcium and protein that lower acid levels in your mouth. The dairy products neutralize the acids produced by plaque bacteria.

  • Fiber—Eating fiber-rich food, including cooked beans, celery, raw spinach, whole grains, avocado, dried grains, carrots, bananas, brussels sprouts, pears, and beets, requires a lot of chewing, which increases saliva production in your mouth. The excess saliva neutralizes plaque bacteria in the mouth.

  • Drinking a lot of water — Adequate water is vital for a healthy saliva flow in the mouth. Saliva fights bacteria in the mouth and neutralizes the acids that can cause gum disease. It also washes away food debris from your teeth and gums after eating.

  • Omega-3 fatty acid sources like fish and flaxseed oil

  • Vitamin B12 sources like eggs, meat, milk, and some cereals.

Quit Smoking

Smoking weakens the immune system (your body's infection-fighting system), making it harder to fight gum infections. After your gums are damaged, smoking makes it more challenging for your gums to recover.

Every type of tobacco use, including smoking tobacco, pipes, and cigarettes, increases the chances of gum disease development.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, here is what smoking means for you as a smoker:

  • You are twice more prone to the development of gingivitis than a nonsmoker

  • The more cigarettes you smoke, the higher your risk for gingivitis

  • The longer you smoke, the higher your risk of gum disease development

  • Treating gingivitis might not be as effective as for a nonsmoker

It is rare to quit on your first attempt, and even more challenging if you do it without professional assistance. You are more likely to prevent smoking relapse if you have a plan. Here are some strategies to resist the urge to use or smoke tobacco:

  • Use the appropriate nicotine replacement therapy

  • Understand what triggers the urge to use tobacco or nicotine

  • Distract yourself until your tobacco or nicotine craving becomes better

  • Consider replacing nicotine or tobacco with a mint, gum, or health snack

  • If smoking assists you in managing stress, try other ways to relax. It can be yoga, listening to your favorite music, massage, visualization, deep breathing, or muscle relaxation.

  • Develop your long-term success relapse.

  • Have a support system

Improving Your Oral Hygiene to Prevent Gingivitis

Oral hygiene is the primary preventative care. Here are some ways you can improve your oral health:

  • Brush your teeth— One way to keep your teeth healthy is to remove plaque through brushing. When brushing, angle the bristle towards your gum line, so they clean between your teeth and gums. Brush gently with tiny circular motions; avoid scrubbing your teeth hard. Remember to brush the tongue. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.

  • Flossing your teeth—Brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes is the initial step in keeping your gums and teeth healthy. However, even the most effective toothbrush cannot fully clean the spaces between your teeth. That is why you should floss once daily to remove plaque and food debris.

  • Choose oral hygiene products wisely — When buying oral health products, look for the American Dental Association seal of acceptance. When the ADA awards this seal, it implies that scientists have thoroughly tested and approved the product. Depending on your oral health condition, your dentist might make individualized recommendations.

Manage Your Stress Levels

When a person is stressed, their body produces excess cortisol, a stress hormone that increases inflammation throughout the body, including the gums. It makes your gums more prone to gum disease.

Stress can also disrupt your daily routine, making it harder to maintain consistent oral hygiene. Failing to brush and floss your teeth daily can lead to the accumulation of bacteria and plaque, increasing the risk of gingivitis.

Home Remedies for Gingivitis

Some home remedies can reduce plaque and thereby lower the risk of developing gingivitis.

Please note that if you fail to care for your teeth and gums, home remedies will not help you manage or treat gingivitis. You should also consider a dentist who can diagnose gingivitis. If you have severe symptoms or if the condition is not improving with natural remedies, consult a dentist.

Here are the home remedies you can consider:

Using Saltwater

Saltwater is as effective as mouthwash in reducing plaque. It increases your mouth's pH balance, creating an environment in which bacteria cannot thrive. Harmful bacteria prefer an acidic environment, so once that is neutralized, your mouth and gums become healthier and less inflamed.

Please note that prolonged use of saltwater can lead to enamel erosion.

Using Mouthwash

If the saltwater fails to relieve the symptoms, you can attempt a more advanced mouthwash. You should spit the mixture once you swish it around your mouth.

While there are prescription mouthwashes, you can consider a homemade mouthwash.

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling is identical to a mouthwash rinse, but is more time-consuming. You should swish oil around your mouth for about thirty minutes to eliminate toxins, reduce harmful bacteria, and improve your oral health.

Remember to spit out the mixture. It removes bacteria and toxins from your mouth tissues.

Find a Competent Dental Practice Near Me

While gingivitis might not manifest obvious signs, you should treat it immediately to prevent it from advancing to more severe stages of gum disease. Advanced stages of gum disease can damage your oral tissues, including tooth loss.

At Ganji Dental, we recognize that gum disease can progress silently, which is why early detection and intervention are vital. Our initial step in treating gingivitis is through a comprehensive gum health evaluation. Our dentist can review your signs of gingivitis, inflammation, and pockets, and develop your treatment plan. Irrespective of the severity of the condition, we can offer treatment options to restore your gum health.

Everything we do is done with your comfort and safety in mind, using state-of-the-art techniques and technology. Please contact our Hawthorne dental office at 310-643-8045 to schedule your initial consultation.