What is Gingivitis and how does it look like?

  • The word “Gingivitis” is a combination of two words; “Gingiva” which means the gums and “itis” meaning inflammation.
  • As the name suggests, it is the inflammation of gums which can lead to swelling, redness, pain and irritation.
  • Gingivitis is most of the times associated with bleeding from gums on probing, and in some cases spontaneously too.

How does it happen?

  • Poor oral health and failure to keep the teeth clean.
  • Bad oral health leads to formation of plaque, calculus and stains on the teeth which are breeding grounds of pathogenic bacteria.
  • These micro-organisms release their toxins into the gingiva, which in turn causes the body to start its protective mechanism by releasing inflammatory exudates.
  • These exudates result in pain, swelling, bleeding and redness of gums.

Mechanism of calculus formation:

  • Plaque is a thin and soft layer that starts forming on the smooth surfaces of the teeth within 30 minutes after brushing. It is also called as a biofilm.
  • This biofilm is inhabited by microorganisms.
  • In case of poor oral hygiene, plaque gets accumulated onto the tooth surface. Because of lack of proper tooth brushing, this biofilm gets thicker due to successive deposition which hardens up forming calculus.
  • Calculus is whitish to brownish in color depending on the duration of its deposition.
  • More and more calculus forms and is a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria
  • Thebacterium causes irritation to the gums and can cause inflammatory reactions at the intersection of cervical margin of tooth and gingival, thus, causing gingivitis.

What are the Causes of Gingivitis:

  • Plaque induced gingivitis
  • Medications for various systemic diseases
  • Systemic diseases
  • Malnutrition
  • Vitamin deficiencies
  • Bacteria
  • Virus
  • Fungi
  • Allergic reactions
  • Tobacco consumption
  • Trauma to gums
  • Foreign body reaction
  • Gingivitis of unknown origin

 

Sequelae of Gingivitis are:

  • Periodontitis
  • Gingival Enlargement
  • Loss of attachment of teeth and periodontium
  • Pocket Formation
  • Damage to the periodontium

What can you do to prevent the development of Gingivitis?

As rightly said, prevention is better than cure. Gingival diseases can be prevented by following some easy steps. These steps are mentioned below.

  • Brushing twice dailywith correct technique without fail.
  • Getting professional cleaning done by a dentist every six months.
  • Getting polishing after professional cleaning to smoothen the teeth surfaces to prevent deposition of plaque and calculus.
  • Use mouthwash after brushing twice a day.
  • Rinse your mouth with water after eating or drinking anything.
  • Avoiding sugary substances in between meals.
  • Consumption of high fibre diet.
  • Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables having Vitamin C.
  • High Calcium diet including milk and cheese.
  • Avoiding consumption of sticky substances like candies.
  • Include green leafy vegetables in your diet.

 

What is the treatment of Gingivitis?

There are many treatment modalities for the treatment of gingivitis which are listed below:

  • Scaling and polishing form the first line of treatment for gingivitis
  • Curettageor deep scaling is the second line of treatment to remove sub-gingival calculus
  • Stop tobacco usage: Tobacco or areca nut has many carcinogenic substances that cause gingival irritation. The first sign of irritation due to smoking is gingivitis.
  • Betadiene mouthwash: Betadiene is antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial which reduces gingivitis.
  • Low level laser therapy: Low level laser therapy is the latest modality which heals the gums with laser light without any surgery.
  • Laser Surgery
  • Flap Surgery

Floss Dental is a multispecialty dental clinic situated in the heart of Noida. We cater to the dental needs of people of Delhi and national capital region. Floss Dental uses the best in class technology to treat gingival diseases. It is the only dental clinic in Noida having internationally trained laser specialist which perform high precision laser treatment. At Floss Dental Noida, Lasers are also used for treatment of gingivitis in the form of low level laser therapy and laser surgeries. We also have the latest Ultrasonic Scalers which remove even the hardest of calculus with great ease.  Feather on the hat is the use of state of the art Air Polisher which removes the residual debris and makes the tooth surface shiny and white like a pearl.

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