Gingivitis
Here is a list of Gingivitis related sites:
Gingivitis is the most common form of gum disease (otherwise known as periodontal disease) which refers to the inflammation or swelling of the gums that surround your teeth. While Gingivitis is a well known disease, due to the amount of publicity on the topic, its often mild nature means that many people are not even aware that they are suffering from it. It is important to remember that Gingivitis is just one of the many forms of gum disease that exist.
Causes
What causes Gingivitis in your mouth is a buildup of bacterial plaque in the small gaps between the teeth and the gums. As time goes by, this plaque buildup leads to the swelling of gums surrounding teeth. If left untreated, big gaps begin to develop the gums and the teeth as well as the loss of bone around teeth. This eventually leads to teeth becoming loose and falling off, all simply due to plaque buildup which could have been treated at an early stage.
In addition, by not treating Gingivitis as soon as possible, it can develop into a more serious gum disease, which can also be potentially life threatening.
Diagnosis
In order to prevent gum disease problems, it’s essential that everyone learns how to diagnose Gingivitis. While your dentist should have the final word as to whether you have the disease, it’s also useful to know yourself the symptoms and signs so that you can seek treatment as quick as possible. Below is a small list of Gingivitis symptoms:
- Your gums bleed every time your brush your teeth
- Your gums are bright red or purple in color
- Your gums are or appear to be swollen
- Your gums feel itchy for some reason
It is recommended that you visit your dentist if you observe any of the symptoms above because you may have Gingivitis. This way you will avoid associated problems such as tooth decay.
Prevention
Given that the most common cause of Gingivitis is poor oral hygiene, then the best way to prevent it is through good oral hygiene. What does this involve?
Daily, thorough brushing of both the teeth and gums, will go a long way to minimizing the amount of plaque building up on your teeth and prevent Gingivitis. Another effective way to prevent the onset of gum disease, is through flossing, which helps remove plaque from places that your brush cannot normally reach.
If you think you are suffering from Gingivitis and need or want to eliminate it from your life, it’s highly recommended that you go and visit your family dentist to begin good and effective treatment right away.