Gingivitis Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

If you think you may have gingivitis, you're not alone the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 50% of the U.S. population will be affected by gingivitis at some point.

Right now, it's estimated that over 35.7 million Americans suffer from gingivitis, but luckily, the condition is reversible. Read on to understand more about gingivitis causes, symptoms, and treatments.

What is Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease, a condition which affects the gums, periodontal ligaments, and tooth sockets. Generally, gingivitis is limited to the gum area, and is caused by bacterial infection. There are two main forms of gingivitis: plaque-induced, and non-plaque induced.

• Plaque-induced gingivitis is the most common form of the condition. This is when plaque, a sticky material consisting of bacteria, food debris, and mucus, accumulates on the teeth. After a prolonged period of time, the plaque mineralizes into tartar, a hard white substance that makes the plaque more difficult to remove. As the plaque and tartar remain on the teeth, they begin to irritate, inflame, and infect the gums, triggering an autoimmune response.
• Non-plaque induced, though less common, can also occur when other factors irritate or injure your gums. Overtly vigorous brushing, aggressive flossing, athletic injuries or food allergies can all injure your teeth and gums, leading to gingivitis. Other systemic conditions such as pregnancy, diabetes, and diseases that decrease immunity such as cancer or AIDS can also be risk factors.

Gingivitis Symptoms

The biggest indication of is red, puffy gums which bleed when the patient brushes his or her teeth. In severe cases, the gums may be a deep magenta or even purple color. Additionally, some other symptoms include:

• Receding gums
• Inflammation
• Tender gums which are painful to the touch
• Halitosis (bad breath)
• Shiny appearance of gums

If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to more severe forms of periodontal disease, and eventually, loss of teeth.

Gingivitis Treatments

The best treatment for gingivitis depends on the cause. For plaque-induced cases, the solution can be as simple as increased or improved brushing and flossing. In any case, the first thing your dentist will do is remove the plaque and tartar in a process called scaling. After this initial procedure, it remains up to the patient to maintain a daily oral hygiene routine. Depending on your situation, your dentist may recommend:

• An electric toothbrush, which can be more thorough than an analog brush.
• A soft-bristled toothbrush to accommodate sensitivity.
• More frequent brushing at least 2 times a day.
• Holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brushing against the gumline.
• An antiseptic, anti-plaque mouthwash.
• Fluoride toothpaste containing an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredient.
• A healthy diet with increased Vitamin C, an important antioxidant for healthy gums, and more calcium.

Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to address other underlying causes and symptoms in order to fully combat gingivitis. However, good oral hygiene and frequent visits to your dentist will never hurt.

How We Can Help

If you suspect that you have gingivitis, it's important to address it right away before your symptoms become more severe. The earlier gingivitis is diagnosed, the more easy, painless, and affordable treatment will be. At our office, we have the experience, equipment, and personalized care necessary to nip your gingivitis symptoms in the bud. Give us a call today at 434-792-5416.

DIGITAL RADIOGRAPHS

Because you deserve the safest, most efficient dental care available, Dr. Helton and her team utilize digital radiographs. Digital radiographs are a vast improvement over traditional x-rays. They utilize only 10 percent of the radiation required for traditional x-rays. They also use no film or chemicals, so there is no development time. Instead, the instant images can be viewed on a chairside monitor and stored in your electronic file for future reference. We can now take digital radiographs and immediately move from diagnosis to treatment with no “down” time wasted. Your time in the chair is reduced, keeping your more comfortable overall. They also increase our ability to share images for patient education, insurance e-claims or professional communication in an immediate manner.

PROFESSIONAL CLEANINGS

Your professional cleanings not only allow your smile’s natural beauty to shine through, they also give our team a chance to assess your continuing dental health. Early detection of potential dental health problems is key to preventing issues from advancing to a stage where more invasive treatment methods are necessary.

If your smile is healthy or if you have already received high-quality, effective restorative dentistry, two dental visits per year is the recommendation for you to maintain your beautiful smile. And, with Dr. Helton and her dental team on your side, you will receive the best preventive care available to ensure that your smile stays bright and beautiful on each of the other 363 days of the year!

During your time with us, Dr. Helton and the clinical team comprehensively evaluate your dental health, using the most advanced instruments. Knowing that your oral health is a product of many systems working in concert, Dr. Helton and her team ensure you receive any treatment or preventive therapy necessary to ensure your health until your next visit. This may include treatments in addition to your regular, professional cleaning. For example, any signs of early gum disease will prompt us to create an immediate treatment plan designed to halt and even reverse any of the diseases progress. Early treatment is always more preferable compared to later, more invasive treatment.

At each visit, you’ll also receive instructions for proper home care that will help your smile look and feel great. You’ll feel informed and powerful, knowing much of your dental health is in your own hands! And, with Dr. Helton and her team as your dental-care partners, your continued dental health is assured.

Restorative Dentistry

Look to us for the latest technologies in restorative dentistry. Dental bonding is the safest and most aesthetically pleasing way to treat decay, fractures or wear damage on your natural anterior and posterior teeth. Our experienced professional use state-of-the-art technology to treat a variety of dental problems:

• Abfractions: An abfraction is a notch in a tooth, near or under the gum line, usually on the cheek side of the tooth. Abfractions are usually caused by grinding teeth or aggressive brushing using an abrasive toothpaste. Once the cause of the abfraction is addressed, a filling or gum tissue may be used to restore the tooth.
• Cavities: When a tooth has decayed, a cavity is the result. It is important to remove the decayed part of the tooth and replace it with a filling, a synthetic material that lays over the exposed part of the tooth once the cavity has been removed.
• Filling failures: A filling is considered failing when the edges of the filling allow bacteria to enter the space between the filling and the tooth, which can lead to discomfort and infection. A silver filling or resin filling are both very durable, but will eventually need to be replaced. Many conditions in your mouth could cause a filling to fail, including time and wear, moisture in the mouth and temperature changes. Over time they become worn, turn black or the edges may wear away. There are many types of restorations for a filling failure.

We can show you the benefits of dental bonding using tooth-colored fillings for repairing broken teeth, restoring decayed portions of teeth, matching teeth in proportion or color, or replacing old fillings in order to prevent tooth loss.

TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS

When it comes to your smile, you deserve healthy teeth that feel great. You also deserve a smile that looks great. If you need a filling to get you back to optimal dental health, take comfort in the fact that Dr. Helton specializes in metal-free dentistry. This means you can receive virtually invisible fillings!

In the past, a silver-amalgam material- one that contained mercury – was the substance of choice for dental fillings. While durable, these fillings could be very noticeable. And, even though they were generally safe, they did carry a risk of mercury exposure.

New, tooth-colored fillings are safe, durable and color-matched to blend in with your natural tooth. They also allow the dentist to remove less of your natural tooth structure during placement and they create a better seal with your tooth, which helps in the prevention of future decay. You’ll enjoy a better health outlook and a brighter smile!