Contents
General description of the disease
This is a disease characterized by the course of the inflammatory process in the gingival mucosa.
This disease is quite common. Pregnant women and adolescents suffer most from it. In these groups, the disease is more complex. This is due to hormonal changes in the body.
Gingivitis is the only disease in dentistry in which the inflammatory process can be eliminated before serious dental problems appear. If you do not carry out official treatment, periodontal disease and periodontitis will occur, which will ultimately lead to the loss of teeth.
The causes of gingivitis
In most cases, gingivitis is an independent disease, but there are cases when it is provoked by diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart, hematopoietic organs, diseases of an infectious nature and changes or disruptions in the hormonal background. Then gingivitis is one of the symptoms of some underlying disease.
Gingivitis can develop due to external and internal causes. Let’s consider each of them separately.
The internal causes of the development of the disease include: gastrointestinal diseases, the presence of diabetes mellitus, allergies, low immunity, metabolic problems, hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency (especially a lack of zinc and vitamin C), mental disorders and frequent stressful situations, abnormal development of the gums and all kinds of deformation gums, tooth growth that injures the gums (for example, the eruption of the last tooth – the wisdom tooth).
External reasons for the development of this disease include: physical damage (burns, various injuries), chemical (exposure to aggressive substances), medical (braces, improperly installed fillings, veneers, crowns), the presence of bad habits, insufficient hygienic care of the oral cavity.
Various toxins enter with drinking and food, and besides them, there are also microorganisms that multiply due to insufficient dental hygiene measures. They form plaque on the teeth (plaque). It is he who most often is the cause of the development of inflammation of the mucous membranes of the gums.
Also, there are other reasons for the development of gingivitis. It all depends directly on the type of disease. Here are some basic examples.
So, chronic catarrhal gingivitis develops against the background of insufficient hygiene measures, due to injury to the gums or their burns.
Hypertrophic gingivitis occurs due to improperly installed crowns, fillings or crowding of teeth. In addition, hormonal disruptions during pregnancy or adolescence can cause this type of illness. Hence, they are called “gingivitis of pregnant women” and “juvenile or juvenile gingivitis.”
Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (Vincent) provoked by an infectious process, or rather, due to the activity of the spindle-shaped bacillus and Vincent’s spirochete. These microorganisms are activated with low immunity, malnutrition, frequent hypothermia and stressful situations.
Types and forms of gingivitis
Depending on the current, this disease can be acute, chronic, exacerbated and in remission.
Acute gingivitis – the inflammatory process occurs unexpectedly, the symptoms progress rapidly.
Chronic gingivitis – all symptoms develop sluggishly with a slow increase.
Gingivitis in the acute stage – manifestation of symptoms of a chronic type of this disease on an increase. Otherwise, this type is called “recurrent type of chronic course.”
Remission gingivitis – the process of complete cessation of all signs of the disease.
Depending on the shape, gingivitis is: catarrhal (manifests itself in the form of swelling and redness of the gums); ulcerative (or ulcerative-necrotic – there are dead areas of the gums); hypertrophic (gums bleed and their tissues significantly increase in volume); atrophic (the symptoms are opposite, the gum tissue decreases in volume); geographical (or desquamative – in this case, the gums turn red and their upper layer of the mucous membrane is abundantly exfoliated).
Depending on the distribution, gingivitis can be local (in this case, only some areas of the gums are affected), generalized (the inflammatory process occurs on the gums along the length of the entire jaw, or even two: upper and lower at the same time).
Gingivitis symptoms
Each form has its own symptoms and signs.
With catarrhal form no pronounced symptoms and no pain. The main symptom is bleeding of the gums when brushing teeth, when chewing solid food.
With ulcerative necrotic type of disease, the body temperature rises, the submandibular lymph nodes increase in size, the papillae of the gums are very itchy, there is severe pain, the affected gum particles die off.
With hypertrophic gingivitis the patient’s gums are severely swollen (from the outside of the tooth, they can cover the crowns, while a stone develops on the covered part of the tooth, which further aggravates the situation due to the appearance of additional microbes), bleeding of the gums is constantly observed. Also, due to the large swelling, teeth can move.
With an atrophic form diseases, the gum tissue becomes thinner, decreases in volume, due to which the neck of the teeth or even the roots are exposed. Teeth become hypersensitive to food and drinks (hot, cold, sour, sweet). This type of gingivitis is the most advanced and most often leads to periodontitis.
When geographic (desquamative) gingivitis, red spots appear on the gums, the upper layer of the gingival mucosa peels off, bubbles form on them, which burst and due to which erosion and ulcers develop.
Healthy foods for gingivitis
When treating gingivitis, the patient needs to carry out vitamin therapy with fruits, berries and vegetables. They should be consumed in a semi-liquid (juices and mousses) and liquid state. Vitamins of groups A, B, C, D contribute to recovery.
To strengthen the gums, fight microorganisms and relieve pain, you need to eat more plant foods. It helps to increase natural salivation, which helps natural cleansing of teeth and gums.
After each meal, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water, special broths or rinses.
Useful foods for gingivitis:
- pineapples – help maintain an acidic environment at the required level, help cleanse teeth from plaque and carry out a kind of antimicrobial therapy (the enzyme bromelain and vitamin C help in this);
- broccoli – creates an invisible film that protects teeth and gums from acid (which is present in saliva);
- onions (onions), parsley, dill, lettuce – contain sulfur compounds that fight microbes on the gum mucosa, improve blood circulation (due to which bleeding gums are quickly restored);
- kiwi, all citrus and C-containing vegetables and fruits – with a lack of this vitamin, collagen is destroyed in the gums, which makes the gum tissue soft and hypersensitive;
- strawberries – small grains that are on the surface of this berry massage the gums and gently cleanse the oral cavity, in addition, strawberry fiber is very useful for the periodontium (the totality of tissues that surround the tooth);
- carrots, zucchini – help train the gums and cleanse the oral cavity, accelerate tissue regeneration;
- celery, ginger – help in the formation of saliva, massage the gums;
- Basil is a natural antibiotic that fights most bacteria in the mouth.
- wasabi – prevents the pathogenic development of microbes in the mouth;
- sea salt – nourishes the gums with minerals, thereby strengthening them;
- sesame seeds – a natural scrub for gums and teeth, evens out the acid-base balance in the oral cavity;
- fish – rich in vitamin D (it helps to strengthen the gums and eliminate gum disease);
- cheese – solves any problems with teeth and gums, thanks to the calcium it contains;
- honey and its by-products – can be used for both treatment and prevention, has antibacterial and antiseptic properties;
- green tea is an antioxidant of natural origin, it washes the gums and teeth well, relieves inflammation (catechin contained in green tea is responsible for these functions);
- blackberries – helps in the restoration of the mucous membranes of the gums.
Sugar substitutes
It is worth highlighting sugar substitutes. They cannot be attributed to 100% useful, therefore, before using them, you must ask your doctor.
Xylitol has a good effect on dental tissue, prevents its destruction, thereby preventing the development of pathogenic organisms in the oral cavity. It is added to almost all chewing gums, which, when used correctly, help in cleansing teeth, gums and increasing salivation. Chew gum after eating for 10-15 minutes.
Stevia is also a natural sweetener that helps in gum health.
Traditional medicine for gingivitis
In order to reduce pain you can regularly rinse the mouth with a solution of soda (food grade 0,5%), a light light pink solution of potassium permanganate (permanganate, there should be no crystals in the solution). If there is no allergy to honey, then they are allowed to lubricate the gums.
To relieve inflammation, for rinsing, you can use decoctions of scumpia, eucalyptus, chamomile, calendula flowers, walnut leaves, sage. For cooking, you need 1 teaspoon of chopped dried herbs (optional) and a glass of boiling water. The plant is poured with water, left to infuse for 15-25 minutes, filtered. The resulting infusion rinse your mouth three times a day.
To fight germs and relieve inflammation, also, use a decoction of the golden mustache. To prepare it, take one leaf of a flower, grind it and fill it with a liter of boiling water. Insist for an hour, filter. While the broth is hot, you can chop 0,5 teaspoon of salt. This will enhance the antimicrobial effect.
With hemorrhagic gingivitis the oral cavity should be rinsed with a decoction of erect cinquefoil (galangal). Take its roots, wash, grind, pour 0,5 liters of water, bring to a boil and boil for another 5-7 minutes, filter. Chopped galangal roots must be taken 2 tablespoons.
With a decoction of golden mustache and galangal, rinse the oral cavity 2-3 times a day.
For catarrhal gingivitis it is recommended to rinse your mouth with a decoction of the Kazanlik rose. It must be applied 4 times a day.
For pain relief, antimicrobial prophylaxis and inflammation relief on the gums, an aqueous-alcoholic infusion of propolis is used. Take 10 grams of solid propolis, grind it, pour 60 grams of alcohol (ethyl), leave in a dark place for the 3rd day. Before treating the oral cavity with this tincture, it must be diluted: 5 drops of the tincture are diluted in a glass of water, rinse your mouth three times a day. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated 4 times.
To soften swollen gums and relieve swelling with inflammation, you need to lubricate them with St. John’s wort oil. To prepare it, grind 1 tablespoon of flowers and leaves of St. John’s wort to powder, pour 100 grams of any vegetable oil (sunflower, corn, olive), mix thoroughly, put on fire and bring to a boil (you need to boil two or three times), wait until the mixture cool down, filter. The resulting oil is applied to the gums a couple of times a day.
For pain relief use the roots of calamus (the tannins contained in these roots help in this). They need to be thoroughly rinsed and cut into small pieces. You need to chew them for 15 minutes, repeat 2-3 times a day.
For faster recovery of damaged gum tissue use ginger extract and raw potato juice.
The method of treating gingivitis with kefir is also popular. To begin with, it is insisted for 10 days, then the next 5 days are applied. The condition will improve already on the second day after the start of rinsing.
Also, the mouth can be rinsed with mildly brewed black tea.
Dangerous and harmful foods for gingivitis
For the duration of treatment, sweet, sour, cold, hot should be completely excluded from consumption. Exposure to too low or too high temperatures will exacerbate pain. The same applies to taste (sweet and sour). In addition, from the patient’s diet, it is necessary to completely exclude once and for all any harmful products for the health of the whole organism (products with GMOs, dyes, enhancers of taste and smell, fast food, and so on).
It is imperative to quit smoking (of course, if there is such a bad habit).
Attention!
The administration is not responsible for any attempt to use the information provided, and does not guarantee that it will not harm you personally. The materials cannot be used to prescribe treatment and make a diagnosis. Always consult your specialist doctor!