What are some of the signs of Gingivitis?
As you’re probably aware, gingivitis is a form of gum disease caused by poor dental hygiene. In order to maintain good dental health, it’s important you understand how to identify the signs of gingivitis and act on them right away. Let’s look at what the signs are, how to prevent the problem, and how regularly visiting your dentist will help.
Common Causes of Gingivitis
In broad terms, what causes gingivitis is basically the same thing that causes all problems with your teeth and gums – poor dental hygiene. To be more specific, when you don’t care for your teeth properly, plaque (containing tons of bacteria) forms. If the plaque is allowed to remain on your teeth, it can harden beneath your gum line and become tartar. This creates a protective barrier for bacteria and requires a professional dental cleaning to have it removed. After a while, the plaque and tartar on your teeth will irritate your gingiva, which is the gum line around the base of your teeth.
Common Signs of Gingivitis
Knowing what causes gingivitis an integral part of prevention is, but you must also know what to look for in case it begins to develop. The good news is that the signs of gingivitis are quite obvious, which means you’ll be able to take action to get them fixed right away. Here are the signs that you need to watch out for:
- Swollen/puffy gums
- Dusky/dark red gums
- Receding gums
- Tender gums
- Gums bleed easily when brushing or flossing
- Bad breath
Techniques to Prevent Gingivitis
Now that you understand what causes gingivitis and the signs to look out for, it’s important to understand how you can prevent it from happening in the first place. Preventive dental care isn’t too tough, but with everything going on these days, it isn’t difficult to be a bit lax with your responsibilities. That being said, please make sure that you’re falling these three basic strategies:
- Good oral hygiene — This is obviously your first line of defense. It’s very important that you brush your teeth at least twice each day for a period of two full minutes. Also, floss at least once a day prior to brushing. If possible, floss and brush after each meal.
- Healthy eating — In addition to caring for your teeth, you should be cognizant of what you’re putting into your body. Floods that are especially acidic or high in sugar can be harmful to your teeth and gums, so try to enjoy them in moderation.
- Routine dental visits — Even the most dedicated persons can’t take care of their teeth without assistance. You should schedule a cleaning every six months and have x-rays done once per year to maintain proper oral health.
Dental Treatment of Gingivitis
Gingivitis is bad, but it’s also reversible. What you don’t want to happen is for your dental health to progress to what’s called periodontitis, because that’s when tooth loss can occur and you’ll need to see a dentist right away. If your dentist determines that you have gingivitis, you’ll be directed to have your teeth cleaned so as to remove tartar and plaque build-up. Your dentist will then send you home with instructions on how to properly care for your teeth so that you can repair the damage and improve your overall dental health. If it’s determined that you have progressed to periodontitis, you may be given a regimen to follow while also discussing restorative options.
Contact Dr. Ferullo to Discuss the Signs of Gingivitis
By watching for the signs of gingivitis and acting on them quickly, you can prevent bigger dental issues from occurring. If you need professional assistance with this or any other dental problems, the St. Petersburg dental office of Dr. Ferullo is standing by to assist you. To learn about our free teeth whitening service or for any other dental concerns, reach out by calling our office at (727) 822-8101.
