What is gingivitis?
Gingivitis is the inflammatory reaction of the body, or the gums, to the presence of bacteria and foreign bodies. Basically, you have plaque on your teeth, and that insults the soft tissue around your teeth, and they get inflamed, and that is called gingivitis: the inflammation in your gums.
How is gingivitis different from more advanced gum disease?
Gingivitis is pretty much a reversible condition. If you got gingivitis, for example, you had your lunch and did not have your toothbrush with you. You didn't brush your teeth until you got home. Until you got home, you got gingivitis. And if you don't brush your teeth until the next morning, the gingivitis is getting worse, right? But if you brush your teeth when you get home, the gingivitis is reversed, and you no longer have gingivitis.
That is how it is different from more serious gum disease that is not as easily reversible by yourself. With gingivitis, you can turn back the clock on it. If it's more serious, you're going to need more professional services from a dentist or hygienist.
What are the most common signs that patients should watch for if they have gingivitis?
The most common sign is basically that you can see plaque on your teeth. You see a little bit of white around your gums, and you can see the gums are getting a little bit more reddish; sometimes they stay even purplish when it stays there for too long. So you have some inflammation in your gums. Usually, it is a painless condition for the most part. Don't rely on the fact, “Oh, I don't have any pain, that means I don't have gingivitis”. No, gingivitis is painless. You don't feel anything until it's too late. Therefore, go see a dentist or just brush your teeth really well, floss, and then see if the color changes in your gums. If not, see your dentist.
How does plaque on the teeth contribute to gingivitis?
Think of plaque as a biofilm that develops across your dental surfaces. It consists of a mixture of saliva, food remnants, and microorganisms. Bacteria thrive in this setting because the oral cavity provides a warm, moist habitat. Within this environment, bacterial colonies can double in size roughly every seven to nine minutes, creating a very active area for growth.
The presence of this film allows bacteria to proliferate with ease. But how exactly does this impact your gums? Essentially, these organisms begin to irritate the soft tissues, prompting an immune response. Your body reacts by increasing blood flow and fluid to the area, which results in that characteristic reddish, swollen appearance. Eventually, if left unchecked, this inflammation can reach the underlying bone structure. Fortunately, when you are at the stage of gingivitis, it is quite simple to manage. By thoroughly flossing and brushing away the buildup, you can maintain a clean mouth and effectively reverse the condition.
How do you treat gingivitis and is it curable?
Well, as I said before, it is very curable. You just need to brush and floss. And if it is too late for that, then just see your dentist or hygienist, and they'll help you to get rid of it altogether.
What can I do at home to get rid of gingivitis?
Well, like I said before, you just brush and floss and make sure that you take your time to brush, right? A lot of people brush, on average, 25 to 35 seconds. It should take you 1 minute on the top and 1 minute on the bottom when you brush. And you should floss first and then brush, and this way everything is nice and clean, and you don't have any more plaque left on your teeth if you did a good job, and then gingivitis is reversed. Now there are specific products that will support treatment, like toothpaste or mouthwash. All of this helps, but the main thing is mechanical removal of the plaque. That's what helps you get rid of gingivitis.
When does professional gingivitis treatment need to be done instead of just doing it at home?
Well, we don't have enough instruments at home or the skills at home to remove everything that needs to be removed. Therefore, you should see your dentist and hygienist every 6 months because that's when we get a boost, everything is much cleaner, and so on.
After that, it would be enough for you to be at home and brush and floss yourself. So every 6 months is the answer, that you should come and see a dentist.
What is the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis?
Perio means around, dentitis is tooth. So gingivitis is just a soft tissue disease. It's basically inflammation of only your gum, only the soft tissue. Periodontitis is when that inflammation, or gingivitis, stays so long on your teeth that bacteria actually invade the gum all the way up into the bone and start eating your bone. And the bone starts melting. That is called periodontitis, when we're losing the bone tissue around the teeth. So that is the difference: either just soft tissue, just the beginning of it, and if it's not addressed, it will get to the next level, which is periodontitis.
Is gingivitis contagious?
Well, it is bacterial, right? So it's not going to be contagious if you just speak with somebody, but if you're kissing somebody who has gingivitis, yes, or if you're sharing spoons or if you're sharing straws and so on, then of course, yes, it's possible for it to be contagious.
Is gingivitis common or are there any misconceptions about gingivitis?
Well, the misconception is that it is harmless. It is not harmless because it indicates the presence of bacteria inside your body, and if it's not taken care of on time, then it will advance and become a more serious disease for you. So it's better to get rid of it in the early stages.
Your dental health matters to us, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. If you’re looking for expert dental care near Queens, NY, call (929) 238-9944 or email [email protected] to learn more. Ready to get started? Schedule your appointment below.
What is gingivitis?
Gingivitis is a soft tissue condition. It's basically an inflammation and infection of the gum around the teeth.
What causes gingivitis?
Usually improper cleaning or not cleaning thoroughly enough causes gingivitis. Of course, we might think we brush and floss all the time, so why did we get gingivitis? The question is: are you seeing your hygienist and dentist regularly to help remove all the plaque?
Basically, plaque is a combination of saliva mixed with bacteria and food particles that forms on the tooth surface. There are specific products that can help you see the plaque and bacteria because they color it. Then, after brushing, you can see if something's left on your teeth. If so, you'd know there are areas you're missing since we are creatures of habit, doing the same thing repeatedly. The good thing is that we don't expect the same results. We want to see that we're doing good work when cleaning our teeth.
How is gingivitis diagnosed?
When you see your dentist, they can diagnose it for you. They can see whether you have inflammation or infection in the gums. You can also just look at it and see a different color. Usually, there's a little rolled gum right around the tooth, and it's different from the rest. The color might become darker—it's not as light pink as it should be—and you might notice bleeding while brushing.
We usually aren't concerned because we don't feel pain, but gingivitis is a painless condition. Don't assume you don't have gingivitis just because there's no pain. Check with a professional.
What can a dentist do to treat gingivitis?
The treatment is very simple. It's called a mechanical cleaning. Once you remove all the bacteria from the teeth and gum, everything becomes cleaner and healthier, allowing the body to restore itself. However, you need a little boost from the dentist to help clean everything out.
What can I do at home to treat gingivitis?
You can brush and floss your teeth. Floss first, then brush. You can also use mouthwash and similar products. As long as you brush and floss, that should be sufficient. If you see a little blood, it doesn't mean brush less or don't touch the teeth; it's a cry for help from your gums. You need to brush more, not less.
How long does it take to treat gingivitis with a good treatment program?
It could be as simple as 2 to 3 weeks because that's how long it takes for the gum to heal. After you get your cleaning with the hygienist and follow a good program at home by brushing and flossing regularly, in a couple of weeks you'll be without gingivitis.
When should I schedule my dental appointment if I suspect that I have gingivitis?
As soon as possible. If you have a dentist, schedule an appointment with them. If you don't and need our help, you can call us here and we will try to fit you in either the same day or, at the latest, the next day.
Your dental health matters to us, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. If you’re looking for expert dental care near Queens, NY, call (929) 238-9944 or email [email protected] to learn more. Ready to get started? Schedule your appointment below.