Gingivitis is an inflammatory oral disease that causes red, swollen, and bleeding gums. If a person has chronic gingivitis, it can lead to periodontal disease, which is a serious infection that could cause pain and tooth loss. Gingivitis typically develops when plaque builds up on teeth and harms the gums.
How To Prevent Gingivitis
The best way to prevent gingivitis is to practice good oral care every day. This includes brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, and visiting your dentist for routine checkups. You should also avoid eating sugary or acidic foods that could weaken your tooth enamel.
What You Can Do For Gingivitis Treatment
As part of gingivitis treatment, your periodontist will remove any tartar buildup that has occurred, which is one of the causes of gingivitis. If you want to learn more about how to treat gingivitis at home, here are some good strategies to implement:
Brush Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth is one of the simplest ways to help prevent gingivitis. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing twice a day and flossing once a day.
Floss Your Teeth
One of the best things you can do to practice good oral health is to floss your teeth. When you floss, it removes food particles and plaque from between your teeth that brushing can’t reach. Flossing helps reduce inflammation in the gums, helping to prevent gingivitis.
Rinse With Mouthwash
Rinsing with mouthwash is another technique you can use to fight gingivitis. Your dentist can recommend one you can buy over the counter or they may prescribe a specific type with antibiotic or anti-inflammatory properties.
Visit the Dentist Regularly
If you have chronic gingivitis, you may want to see a dentist more often. While there are steps that you can take at home, your dentist will be able to provide you with more advanced treatment and monitoring. Your dentist might take X-rays and do an examination of your mouth along with discussing your habits and lifestyle to provide gingivitis treatment options that are right for you.
Scaling and Root Planning
One of the best ways to treat gingivitis is scaling and root planning. Scaling removes any tartar or plaque that has built up on teeth, while root planning helps smooth the surface of the teeth and remove any rough patches where bacteria can hide. The process typically involves your dentist cleaning along the gum line and removing tartar and plaque.
Schedule an Appointment with your Dentist
To prevent gingivitis, it’s important to brush, floss, and visit the dentist regularly. If you think you have already developed gingivitis let your dentist know so they can prescribe a mouthwash or recommend a scaling and root planning treatment. Eriks Dental Group is a family dental practice in Boynton Beach that offers a wide range of dental services.