Simple gingivitis is characterized by inflamed gums. The most common cause of simple gingivitis is poor oral hygiene.
It starts with just one or two teeth. Where the gum meets the tooth it becomes red and shiny. As the disease progresses the inflamed gum tissue might feel a little itchy or become a bit mushy. Eventually the gum will begin to bleed.
Caught at an early stage you can treat simple gingivitis yourself just by improving your oral hygiene…more brushing and flossing. And you need to brush and floss correctly. Dr Reitz, DDS suggests at least five minutes of brushing and then massage around an affected tooth with your finger and a little toothpaste. (Beware of toxic toothpastes.)
In addition to inadequate oral hygiene, smoking, a bad diet, stress, genetics, pregnancy, medications, herpes simplex, aneamia, bruxism, nutritional deficiencies, diabetes and life threatening (systemic) diseases are all linked to an increased risk of gingivitis.
Acute Necrotizing Ulcertive Gingivitis
There is a form of gingivitis that can appear suddenly and involves severe painful lesions. It is often caused by poor oral hygiene but it can be caused by other health conditions: poor nutrition, aneamia or other systemic conditions such as HIV.
Called acute gingivitis or acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, trench mouth and Vincent’s infection this form of gingivitis typically involves an infection. According to my Periodontist, it is sometimes spontaneous and unexplainable. I experienced this type of gingivitis due to aneamia. It may be accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, malaise and possibly swollen lymph nodes. If left untreated this form of gingivitis can spread rapidly.
Hormone Fluctuations
Fluctuations in hormones such as during puberty or menopause can affect the gums. During puberty there is an increased blood supply to the gums that can make them sensitive.
Menopause
Menopausal women may experience gingivitis with symptoms that include dry mouth, shiny, bleeding, pale or red-marked gums. This is called desquamative gingivitis. Estrogen hormone supplements may help to resolve the symptoms.
Bruxism or TMJ
A regular or constant clenching or grinding of your teeth is called bruxism. Grinding of the teeth usually occurs during sleep or sleep disturbances. Clenching usually occurs during the day. Not only can bruxism cause gingivitis and receding gums, it can also cause a bad bite, cracked, broken, loose or sensitive teeth along with headaches, a painful jaw and stiff or sore neck.
What Causes Bruxism?
Today bruxism is commonly caused by a stressful lifestyle but it can be caused by insomnia and TMJ. TMJ is a misalignment of the joint (temporomandibular) where the lower jaw meets the skull.
The most common treatment for bruxism, is a mouth guard
Vitamin C Deficiency
Scurvy is a disease caused by a deficiency in Vitamin C. There are numerous symptoms and gingivitis is an early sign. The simple solution to a Vitamin C deficiency is to increase your dietary intake of Vitamin C either by eating the right type of foods or taking a supplement.
There are so many delicious natural foods high in Vitamin C including: chili peppers, bell peppers, citrus fruits, and many greens such as parsley and kale. You can make your own enzyme rich vitamin C supplement using the skins of citrus fruit.
Acidic Diet and Acidosis
Acidosis is a condition where the blood and some body tissues are too acidic. The primary cause of this condition is diet. A diet high in sugar and processed foods typically results in too much acid in the body and gingivitis may result.
There are acid/alkaline lists that provide a guide to the mix of foods which will produce the healthier alkaline condition in the body. Surprisingly citrus fruit has the effect of alkalizing your body. There are numerous health benefits in a morning glass of warm lemon water (drink it with a straw so it doesn’t strip the enamel from your teeth). Another simple solution for too much acid is to drink a small amount of baking soda mixed in water.
Phillip day
Smoking is a Chief Cause of Gingivitis
Smoking is a toxic and highly acidic activity. The acid promotes the growth of the very bacteria that causes plaque which ultimately causes gingivitis. Smoking also causes free-radical damage to the mouth and robs your body of Vitamin C an essential nutrient general good health and gum health specifically. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that normally prevents the damage of free radicals.
The Herpes Virus
Blisters that appear in the mouth often called cold sores are typically caused by the herpes simplex virus. An outbreak of herpes in the mouth can be very painful and it causes a form of gingivitis (red, painful, inflamed gums) that is essentially temporary. When the blisters run their course and heal, the gingivitis goes away. The herpes virus is contagious during the early stages of the outbreak so no kissing!
Studies show that the oil of peppermint penetrates the skin and kills the virus. So in addition to being an effective treatment for the prevention and cure of gingivitis, OraMD can be used to kill the herpes simplex virus which causes cold sores.
Dry Mouth
A decreased secretion of saliva causes an abnormal dryness of the mouth, also called xerostomia. Saliva performs a number of essential functions: it kills bacteria, cleanses the mouth and aids digestion. So a dry mouth aids the flourishing of bacteria that causes plaque. This in turn contributes to the development of gingivitis.
Dry mouth is a side-effect of some pharmaceuticals including antihistamines, decongestants, antidepressants, and diuretics. Dry mouth is also caused by sleeping with an open mouth, smoking, fever, dehydration and a variety of illnesses including diabetes, anemia, high blood pressure, HIV and Aids.
Gingivitis Treatments
If you have the symptoms of gingivitis, the first step is ensure that you are following a good oral hygiene including daily brushing and flossing. The second step is to consult a dentist to check whether gingivitis is caused by a build up of tartar (harden plaque). If your gingivitis is not caused by oral hygiene you should seek further advice from health care practitioners about the other possible causes and appropriate treatment.
If you think you have gingivitis, try OraMd. It is a healthy replacement for toxic toothpaste and effective in the prevention of gingivitis.
