Gingivitis is the inflammation, swelling, and bleeding of gum tissues. The primary cause of gingivitis is the bacteria that coats your teeth, and if oral hygiene is poor, it forms a sticky white substance called plaque. The bacteria here proliferates faster and produces toxins that irritates your gums, keeping them swollen and red. When they are left untreated, they will destroy the tissues connecting the gums to the tooth, and eventually the tooth to the bones, causing a deep pocket and eventually attacks the bony structure and causes Periodontitis which is an irreversible form of gum disease.

Causes

Gingivitis is due to the long-term effects of plaque deposits. Plaque is a sticky material made of bacteria, mucus, and food debris that develops on the exposed parts of the teeth. It is a major cause of tooth decay. If you do not remove plaque, it turns into a hard deposit called tartar that becomes trapped at the base of the tooth. Plaque and tartar irritate and inflame the gums. Bacteria and the toxins they produce cause the gums to become infected, swollen, and tender.

Injury to the gums from any cause, including overly vigorous brushing or flossing of the teeth, can cause gingivitis.

The following raise your risk developing gingivitis:

  • General illness
  • Poor dental hygiene
  • Pregnancy (hormonal changes increase the sensitivity of the gums)
  • Uncontrolled diabetes

Misaligned teeth, rough edges of fillings, and ill-fitting or unclean mouth appliances (such as braces, dentures, bridges, and crowns) can irritate the gums and increase the risk of gingivitis.

Medications such as phenytoin and birth control pills, and heavy metals such as lead and bismuth are also associated with gingivitis.

Many people have gingivitis to a varying degree. It usually develops during puberty or early adulthood due to hormonal changes and may persist or recur frequently, depending on the health of your teeth and gums.

Treatment

Your dentist may treat gingivitis in several ways, but the first step is to thoroughly clean your teeth, removing all traces of plaque and tartar - a procedure known as scaling. The cleaning may be uncomfortable, especially if your gums are already sensitive or you have extensive plaque and tartar buildup.

Gingivitis usually clears up after a professional cleaning as long as you continue to follow a program of good oral hygiene at home. Your dentist may recommend using an antiseptic mouth rinse in addition to brushing and flossing.

At first your gums may bleed after brushing, but this usually lasts just a few days. If you persist, you should see pink, healthy gum tissue in a short time. You’ll need to practice good oral hygiene for life, however, so your gum problems don’t return. Because misaligned teeth and poorly fitting crowns and bridges make it harder to remove plaque, your dentist may recommend fixing these problems as well.

Alternatives Medicine

  • Aromatherapy

When gums look inflamed and irritated, add a drop of tea tree essential oil to your toothbrush, on top of the toothpaste, before brushing. This is also great preventive medicine, tea tree is a natural antiseptic and helps prevent gum disease before it starts.

  • Food Therapy

High intake of vitamin C has been shown to be as effective in controlling gingivitis as brushing and flossing. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, including vitamin C-rich broccoli, citrus fruits, peppers, strawberries and tomatoes.

  • Herbal Therapy

Look for toothpastes and mouthwashes containing bloodroot, such as Viadent. Studies show that bloodroot can help prevent the buildup of plaque and the development of gum disease.

  • Homeopathy
  • Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

To help heal gingivitis, take 500 milligrams each of vitamin C and bioflavonoids each day.

Treatment that you can try

Anise seeds

Massage of the gums with Anise seed paste is very beneficial and resolves the Gingivitis by its anti-bacterial action.

Crush Anise seed into a fine paste and use this paste to massage the gums.The mild anti septic action of Anise seed is very useful in resolving the symptoms of Gingivitis.The symptoms of Gingivitis are resolved in a month.

Garlic

Description: Everyone has a variety of bacteria in their mouth. Excess bacteria in your mouth have now been found to cause more than tooth decay, gingivitis or gum disease. Bacteria that create gingivitis live in your plaque and cause your gums to inflame, bleed, and separate from your teeth. You can also have bad breath when you have gingivitis. To resolve the symptoms when you have bad breath, chew Garlic. Garlic removes the plaque and the bacteria which causes the symptoms of Gingivitis.Garlic is also a very good antibacterial.

Chew 3 to 5 Garlic cloves after food.The symptoms of Gingivitis is resolved in a month.

Sources: Emedicine Health, NLM

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