Gum Infection, Symptoms, and Treatment

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Almost every part of our body, including your mouth, is likely to be infected. If you have an infection, you should seek gum infection treatment as soon as possible. Infected gums in our mouth are not only sore, but they can also be a sign of a more severe condition like advanced periodontal disease, often known as periodontitis. A timely evaluation and treatment from your dentist can help you keep your smile. Swollen gums can be treated at Afflux Dentistry in Mississauga.

Periodontitis

Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), commonly known as gum disease, is a severe gum infection. If left untreated it can affect soft tissue and can decay the bone that supports the teeth. Periodontitis can result in loose teeth or tooth loss. Periodontitis is prevalent; however, it is largely avoidable. This is mainly caused by poor dental hygiene. Brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing every day, and getting regular dental checkups can considerably improve your odds of successfully treating periodontitis and may even lower your risks of developing it.

Signs and Symptoms

Healthy gums are pale pink, firm, and fit perfectly around your teeth. Signs and symptoms of periodontitis are as follows.

  • Bad breath
  • Swollen gums
  • Loose teeth  
  • Bright red, dark red, or purplish gums
  • Touch-sensitive gums
  • Gums that bleed easily
  • A toothbrush is pink after brushing
  • Spitting out blood when brushing or flossing
  • Pus between teeth and gums
  • Painful chewing
  • New spaces develop between teeth
  • Receding gums

Causes

A gum infection is caused by the accumulation of bacteria in the tissue surrounding your teeth. Bacteria of several sorts thrive in the mouth. Dental daily hygiene habits include, b Brushing and flossing teeth, reducing bacteria, maintaining a healthy mouth, teeth, and gums, and preventing tooth decay.  Without this effort, bacteria create a film called plaque around your teeth. If plaque is not removed, it can harden and turn into tartar, which is extremely difficult to remove. This cause the bacteria to proliferate in the area around the gums and teeth. Thus, bacteria accumulation below the gum line can quickly lead to infection.

Gingivitis is caused by plaque and is the mildest form of gum disease. The most prevalent cause of sore gums is gingivitis. This is a gum condition that produces inflamed and swollen gums. Many people are unaware they have gingivitis since the symptoms are so minor. Gingivitis, if left untreated, can progress to a far more serious illness known as periodontitis and ultimately tooth loss. Gingivitis is treatable with expert care and appropriate dental hygiene at home. Other risk factors for gum infection include

  • Diabetes,
  • Hormonal changes in women, such as during pregnancy,
  • Genetic causes
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Crooked teeth,
  • Medications that make the mouth dry or slow the flow of saliva
  • Immunological deficiency,
  • Malnutrition,
  • Obesity, and
  • A lack of vitamin C.

Oral hygiene procedures remove these bacteria, preventing illness. As a result, poor oral hygiene contributes directly to tooth decay and mouth disease. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, smoking is the most significant additional risk factor for gum disease in general. Furthermore, smoking may make therapies less effective.

Prevention of Gum Infection

The best strategy to avoid periodontitis is to follow good oral hygiene from a young age and continue to do so throughout your life.

  • Maintaining good oral hygiene- This includes brushing your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day, in the morning and before bedtime, and flossing once a day. Brush your teeth using fluoride toothpaste. This anti-gingivitis toothpaste gradually neutralizes bacteria that have accumulated around the gum line, resulting in clinically verified healthy gums. Before cleaning your teeth, use dental floss to remove food residue and microorganisms. Good dental hygiene inhibits the formation of an environment around the teeth that is conducive to the growth of specific bacteria that cause periodontal disease.

 

  • Anti-gingivitis mouthwash. It destroys the germs that cause plaque. There are many options, and some provide many benefits including strengthening enamel, avoiding cavities, or whitening for a healthy mouth.

 

  • Visiting the dentist in Mississauga regularly. Cleanings are recommended every six to twelve months by your Dentist in Mississauga. If you have risk factors for periodontitis, including as bad breath, dry mouth using certain drugs, or smoking, you may require repeated professional cleaning.

Gum Inflammation treatment

You should consult a dentist as early as possible to avoid gum infection. Once a gum infection has been discovered, you will have several gum inflammation treatmentLinks to an external site. choices depending on the severity of the infection. Here are some basic gum infection treatment options:

  1. Antibiotic Therapy: As with any sort of infection, antibiotics are frequently used to treat gum infections. Your dentist may choose to treat the gum infection with an antibiotic tablet or a direct injection. Taking the entire dose of an antibiotic reduces the possibility of developing resistance.
  2. Root Planing and Scaling Treatment: This specialized gum infection treatment cleans deep between the gums and teeth, down to the roots. Scaling and root planing are the most invasive kinds of treatment intended for mild infections.
  3. Gingivectomy: It is a type of gum infection treatment in which the gum tissue is removed. The state of the affected gum tissue will be evaluated by your dentist. If the doctor thinks that the infected tissue cannot be healed, surgical excision of the affected gum tissue is the most likely treatment.
  4. Flap Surgery:In case of severe gum infection, you may need flap surgery with bone or tissue grafts. Flap surgery is a treatment designated for severe gingival disorders that try to halt disease progression by directly treating the root.

Always remember to practice good oral hygiene, see your dentist in Mississauga regularly for gum infection treatmentLinks to an external site., and avoid smoking. A healthy mouth is important for long-term health. At Afflux Dentistry, after confirming a diagnosis and determining the degree of gum disease, we create a personalized treatment strategy.

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