Gum infection: Causes, Treatment & Home Remedies

Gum infection, also known as gum infection, is inflammation of the gums, usually caused by poor oral hygiene. However, it can also be triggered by certain medications, pregnancy (hormonal changes) or a weak immune system. In some cases, the cause can also be found in systemic diseases that manifest themselves in the oral cavity.

In advanced stages, gum infection can lead to periodontitis, a periodontium disease that can lead to tooth loss. It is, therefore, important to treat and prevent gum infection early on.

What is gum infection?

Gum infection is a swelling of the gums that can cause redness, pain, swelling, and bleeding of the gums. Poor oral hygiene, especially failure to use dental floss or interdental brushes, which allows bacteria to accumulate in the mouth and infect the gums, is the most common cause of periodontitis.

Certain medications, such as blood-thinning, can also lead to gum infection, so a precise medical history is advisable.

Inflammation often starts at the gum line or between the teeth, as the bacteria can settle here more easily.

Gum infection: Symptoms

Symptoms of gum infection can include:

• reddening of the gums
• Pain when brushing teeth or chewing
• swelling of the gums
• Bleeding gums when brushing your teeth or chewing
• Exposed tooth necks
• bad breath

How is gum infection treated?

The gum infection treatment depends on its extent. A professional tooth cleaning is usually carried out in advanced stages, in which gum pockets have already formed. The dentist removes plaque and tartar and cleans the gums thoroughly.

This can be done under local anesthesia if it is too painful for the patient. The dentist may also need to surgically treat the gums in severe cases.

The good news, however, is that daily plaque removal will, in most cases, calm the oral cavity.

In rare cases, there may be no improvement even after professional tooth cleaning and correct toothbrush use. In this case, the treating doctor again rules out the systemic diseases and takes a sample of the bacteria.

The sample is evaluated in a laboratory to analyze the types of bacteria present in infection and their levels. If the cause lies in the area of ​​anaerobic bacteria, additional antibiotic therapy may be necessary.

Gum infection or Periodontitis? That is the difference.

Gum infection and its symptoms have been described in detail in the last paragraphs and can be seen as a precursor to periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a disease of the periodontium that can lead to the loss of teeth. It develops when the gum infection cannot be treated and continues to spread. In the vernacular, periodontal disease is also often spoken of.

Periodontitis affects not only the gums but also the jawbone and the tooth socket. The permanent irritation of the periodontium leads to the long-term degradation of these structures. In addition to the symptoms of gum infection, the consequences can also be exposed tooth roots and deep tooth pockets.

If the pockets are too deep and difficult to clean, surgical treatment may be necessary to rebalance them.

It is always important to note that such an initially harmless infection can permanently change the shape of the gums and, thus, to aesthetic restrictions.

When do inflamed gums become periodontitis?

Gum infection can progress to periodontitis if left untreated. In addition, poor oral hygiene causes plaque and tartar to form, damaging gums and teeth and worsening inflammation.

When the gums recede, and gum pockets form, the inflammation can spread to the jawbone and tooth socket and become periodontitis. It is, therefore, important to treat gum infection at an early stage to avoid periodontitis.

Risk factors for gum infection

Some cause to increase the risk of gum infection:

• Poor oral hygiene: Not using dental floss or interdental brushes and not brushing your teeth can allow bacteria and plaque to build up in your mouth, leading to gum infection.
• Smoking: Smoking increases the risk of gum infection or changes in the oral cavity because it damages the gums and masks the symptoms. Smoking narrows the blood vessels, meaning there is hardly any bleeding. Without this typical warning sign, many people go to their doctor too late, overlook the onset of gum disease, and risk losing teeth.
• Medications: Certain medications, such as blood-thinning medications, can cause gum infection.

What home remedies help with gum infection

Some home remedies can help with gum infection:

• Dental care: The simplest "home remedy" is the daily mechanical removal of plaque using a toothbrush. Optimally, mouthwash is used as a supplement.
• Salt water: Salt water can soothe gums and reduce inflammation. 
• Chamomile: Chamomile has anti-inflammatory properties and can soothe gums. Simply brew chamomile tea and rinse your mouth with it.
• Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil can disinfect gums due to its antimicrobial properties. Simply dissolve a few drops of tea tree oil in water and rinse your mouth.

However, it is compulsory to note that these home remedies are only intended as supportive measures and cannot replace professional teeth cleaning or treatment in an office.

Influence of gum infection on other diseases

If the gums are inflamed, this can also significantly impact other diseases. For example, current studies show that periodontitis can significantly impact diabetes.

Conclusion

Gum infection, also known as gum infection, is inflammation of the gums, usually caused by poor oral hygiene. However, it can also be triggered by certain medications, pregnancy or a weak immune system.

In advanced stages, gum infection can lead to periodontitis, a periodontium disease that can lead to tooth loss. It is, therefore, important to treat and prevent gum infection at an early stage.

If there are permanent changes to the gums, the virginia family dentist charge should always be informed as soon as possible.