My least favorite part of any dentist visit is the cleaning where the hygienist usually says "We seem to have some bleeding of your gums here. You need to floss more and eat right." The hygienist is of course right on target which doesn't help, and further explains that I have the most common of gum diseases known as Gingivitis gum disease.
Gingivitis gum disease is basically an irritation of the gums near the teeth caused by several factors including poor oral hygiene. One of the reasons we brush and floss is to clean the teeth and gums of food particles and plaque. The food particles would be great food sources for millions of bacteria just waiting for a great growth environment in your mouth.
A common spot for the food and subsequent bacteria to hide is between your teeth and gums. The growing bacteria irritate the gums causing the Gingivitis gum disease problems. The normal symptoms are swelling of the gums near the teeth, tenderness of the gums while brushing or flossing, and excessive bleeding while brushing or flossing.
Gingivitis gum disease is a main reason to floss your teeth regularly as well. The floss action is especially effective at cleaning out the areas between the tooth and gum where the disease has its home. The cleaning of the areas between the teeth is very important for gum health as well as preventing cavities.
The disease of Gingivitis gum disease is not really dramatic and the symptoms are mostly inconvenient for the average case. The bloody gums usually only appear during brushing and flossing and after several cleanings are often reduced or eliminated. The first step to eliminate this disease is to brush and floss thoroughly and often until the symptoms recede. The addition of an antiseptic mouthwash will aid in eliminating the bacteria.
What other vitamins, minerals or potions can help stop Gingivitis gum disease? There are several possibilities that are fairly easy to use and obtain. The easiest of these will remind you of your parents prompting you to drink more orange juice - vitamin C. Vitamin C is recommended by many dentists as a significant aid to gum health. The vitamin has anti-oxidant properties to fight the disease and is very important for building collagen in the body which directly relates to your gums.
Another product to aid in reducing Gingivitis gum disease is the grapefruit seed. The extract from the grapefruit seed has always been known to have some antibiotic effects within the body and this makes it effective against bacteria. Grapefruit seed oil can be added to your daily brushing by placing it on the brush or even with the toothpaste.
The rapid growth of bacteria in Gingivitis gum disease is usually fought by the body's immune system. If the immune system is depressed or less effective for some reason, then the risks of Gingivitis gum disease and other gum diseases is greatly increased. Immune systems can be depressed by certain drugs, pregnancy or other illnesses.
If you find yourself diagnosed with a gum disease, chances are you might be already taking medications to prevent these gum diseases from continuing. Likely, you'll also have had a visit to the dentist to check out the offended area. Some of the most common gum diseases include bacterial infection, some might cause the rotting of the tooth that may eventually affect the gums. Gingivitis is another common problem that can ravage your gums. Some treatments such as antibiotics may work, but there are also some options when it comes to providing for your comfort.
If the problem has spread and is now not easily contained, then it's time to learn about two important procedures: gingivectomy and gingivoplasty. Gingivectomy is the removal of gum tissue through surgical procedure, while gingivoplasty is the reshaping of the gum tissue that form around your teeth. Both are performed by periodontal surgeons, and done with local anesthesia on your gum tissue. Laser is primarily used to remove the damaged gum tissue. Doing so will get rid of the infected area and will also remove the build-up of bacteria that can inhabit within the pockets of your teeth and gums, and will leave a cleaner part.
Gingivoplasty, meanwhile, is performed to change the shape of your gums, especially if there are abnormal growths whether before or after gingivectomy. There are some occasional cases when periodontitis or gingivitis can reshape the tissue. Gingivoplasty reshapes the part that has been lost, making the parts smoother and more natural to its original shape. While gingivectomy can take away the harmed area, the area it leaves may look and feel different. The worst case scenario is if it somehow hinders your normal food and drink ingestion.
Gingivectomy and gingivoplasty are two of the safest and easiest procedures done to make sure that your mouth will get the best care. Aftercare is easy; although you will experience some throbbing pain once the anesthesia wears off, it's certainly manageable, especially with the help of pain killers. A periodontal dressing is put to cover the area, and you can return to doing usual acts for the day. For a period of time, you must only eat soft food and drink liquid without acid. This is to make sure that no other irritants will enter your mouth and cause scraping on your healing gums.
Gum disease doesn't have to be the pain that it usually is, but gingivectomy and gingivoplasty are your best options in ensuring you will get the best care despite the oral infection. Both these easy and convenient surgical procedures will help you gain more confidence while fighting the disease that previously threatened your lifestyle. Now that you know your options, you can stop the worsening of your problems and focus on more important things at hand.
Both Mandy & Robert Melkonyan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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