If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, you may have gingivitis, a weak form of gum disease caused by plaque buildup on your teeth. If you don't treat gingivitis, it can turn into periodontitis, a more serious disease that can cause gums to break down and teeth to fall out. So, if your gums bleed or hurt, it's best to act right away to stop these early signs of gum disease.
Gingivitis is the first step of gum disease, and the damage it does can be fixed. Most of the time, this condition doesn't hurt, and if you don't notice a little blood when you brush, you might not even know you have it. Because of this, it's important to have a good dental habit, like brushing and flossing, and to go to the dentist regularly for checkups.
How is gingivitis diagnosed?
If you see blood when you brush, or if your gums hurt or start to look swollen, you should brush and floss your teeth more every day and call Dr. Negar to set up a checkup.
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Review your dental and medical background, including any conditions that could be causing your symptoms.
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Look for signs of plaque and inflammation on your teeth, gums, lips, and tongue.
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Dental X-rays are used to check for bone loss in places where your doctor sees deeper pockets.
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The depth of the space between your gums and teeth is called the pocket depth.
Gingivitis Treatment
When gingivitis is treated right away, the symptoms usually go away and gum disease doesn't get worse or cause teeth to fall out. Treatment starts with good oral care at home, like brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing regularly. Make sure you don't do things that put you at risk for gum disease, like smoking or eating a lot of sugary foods and drinks or starchy, processed carbs that make plaque. Even if you take good care of your teeth, you may still need to see a dentist. Professional solutions for gingivitis include:
Professional dental cleaning: Dr. Negar will fully clean your teeth and remove all traces of plaque, tartar, stains, and bacteria from the surfaces of your teeth and the area just under your gums.
If you need dental work done: If you have misaligned teeth, crowns that don't fit well, or other dental work, it can irritate your gums and make it hard to remove plaque when you do your daily dental practise. If you have gingivitis and your dental fillings are to blame, Dr. Negar may suggest fixing these problems.
Keeping up with good oral hygiene: Gingivitis usually goes away after a professional cleaning if you keep up with good oral hygiene at home. Your dentist will help you come up with a good programme you can do at home to keep gingivitis from coming back. They will also tell you if you are more likely to get gingivitis because you smoke, don't eat well, are stressed out, take medicines that cause dry mouth, have certain medical conditions, or are going through puberty, pregnancy, or your period.
If gingivitis is diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, it is possible to avoid having irreparable damage done to the teeth and gums. Regular visits to the dentist for examinations and cleanings are encouraged regardless of whether or not you are having any symptoms, as plaque removal from the teeth and gums is the single most important factor in treating and preventing gingivitis.
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