You can normally reverse gingivitis because it does not cause damage to the teeth or bone. Calculus (hard plaque) will need to be removed professionally by a dentist. At home, you will need to keep brushing your teeth with a soft toothbrush to get rid of the plaque and bacteria that cause gingivitis.
Mild cases of gingivitis can be treated through daily brushing and flossing, and bleeding may stop within a week or so as the inflamed gums settle down. However, if plaque has hardened (becoming tartar), a professional hygienist will need to remove the buildup before you notice a significant difference.
Your healing gums might require a gentler touch first, so make sure you are using a soft-bristled brush and applying the right amount of pressure. Use a water flosser or interdental brush to get between your teeth and under your gumline to remove irritants like bacteria and food debris and help reduce inflammation.
Brushing: Be sure to hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums, and brush using short circular strokes. It's important not to use too much pressure, so try holding your brush like a pen between your thumb and forefinger. Don't forget to brush the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of each tooth.
Patients who comply with their dentist's recommendations will often see their condition reduce dramatically within two or three weeks.
The easiest way to treat gingivitis is to brush and floss at least twice daily. Ideally, you should brush after every meal. We recommend using a soft-bristled electric toothbrush to scrub plaque completely off the teeth. You should brush for at least two minutes each time, taking care to get all parts of each tooth.
The longer that plaque and tartar remain on your teeth, the more they irritate the gingiva, the part of your gum around the base of your teeth, causing inflammation. In time, your gums become swollen and bleed easily. Tooth decay (dental caries) also may result.
Gingivitis can cause severe gum diseases and tooth loss. However, with proper dental hygiene, reversing gingivitis is possible. Brushing your teeth at least thrice per day and flossing can reverse the condition. Use antibacterial mouthwash and rinse your teeth for at least 30 seconds after brushing.
Your dentist or periodontist will thoroughly clean your teeth to remove harmful bacteria, plaque and tartar. Additional gingivitis treatments include: Scaling and root planing: This procedure is similar to a routine dental cleaning, but reaches deeper beneath your gums. Scaling removes tartar and bacteria.
Gingivitis can cause your breath to smell like sulfur or rotten eggs. This is because of the bacteria in your mouth releasing chemicals that smells like these things. If you have gingivitis, you may also notice that your gingiva, or gums, are red and swollen. You may also bleed when you brush or floss your teeth.
Acidic food – acidic foods can eat away at your tooth enamel and lead to cavities, they can also create an environment in which harmful bacteria thrive. However, acid is not only found in the evident culprits like pickles and alcohols, otherwise healthy foods such as tomatoes or citrus fruit are high in acid.
These deposits irritate and infect the gum tissues, causing inflammation. At this stage, gum disease shows no to a few side effects. Fortunately, gingivitis is completely treatable and reversible. Even better, the treatment is easy, less costly, and minimally invasive.
Brush your teeth twice a day, in the morning and at night. Use a toothbrush with soft, rounded-end bristles and a head that is small enough to reach all parts of your teeth and mouth. Replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months. Use a fluoride toothpaste.
Antibiotics may also be recommended. Along with good at-home oral hygiene and lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and eating a healthier diet, this is usually enough to reverse and eliminate gingivitis entirely.
Other factors not related to oral hygiene can also increase your risk of developing gum disease, including smoking, genetic factors, hormonal changes, systemic diseases like diabetes or bruxism (grinding your teeth).
It's never too late to seek treatment for gum disease, and the degree of treatment you require will depend on how advanced it is.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Early gum disease (also called gingivitis) can be reversed by practicing good oral hygiene and seeing your dentist every 6 months for a teeth cleaning and examination.
Drinking water keeps your body's tissues healthy and hydrated–including gum tissue. Healthy gum tissue helps prevent infection. Drinking water washes away the bacteria that cause gingivitis. It improves saliva production, which helps fight gum disease by washing away harmful bacteria.
You can reverse gingivitis naturally with home remedies like baking soda, a tea tree oil mouthwash, or a salt water rinse to heal your gums. Keep up your good oral health to prevent periodontal disease.
It's infamous for aggravating many oral conditions. If you have gingivitis, sensitive teeth or gums, using a mouthwash with alcohol could worsen your symptoms and make the healing process more unpleasant than it needs to be.
Salt water can help to remove the plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums. Salt has healing properties that can treat and heal inflamed or swollen gums caused by gum disease. Even though salt water is extremely effective in helping to treat gum disease, salt water cannot cure gum disease.
Fortunately, it can also help reverse gingivitis, so it's definitely something to have in your arsenal against gum disease. Many people use mouthwash daily when they brush their teeth, but if you don't, it may be a good idea to add it to your routine.