How to Treat and Prevent Gum Disease

As we previously discussed, Gingivitis is common in a majority of adult Americans. Many do not know they even have a periodontal disease because it is not always painful. There are several suggestions that can help prevent the gum disease from forming and spreading, many of which can be done within your own home.

Treatment and Prevention

Treatment will begin with a visit to the dentist’s office. If a regular cleaning is not sufficient in removing the plaque and tartar off your teeth and gums, a scaling may be done. Scaling and root planing are non-surgical procedures that are more invasive to the gums than a regular cleaning. A dentist uses tools to carefully reach below the gum line and to the roots, removing the plaque and hard tartar that has accumulated. It also removes the bacterial toxins that invade the roots. This non-surgical procedure is normally sufficient. If the patient continues to perform proper dental care, plaque formation can be controlled. If a patient returns to their previous ways, the plaque will build back up, allowing gingivitis to again, become a problem.

If a scaling and root planing are not enough to fix their periodontal disease, surgery may be recommended by the dentist. Pocket reduction and regenerative procedures, crown lengthening, and soft tissue grafts are a few examples of possible surgical recommendations. More on each of these procedures will be presented in the near future.


This picture points out the differences of healthy gums and bones on the left, to infected gums and bones on the right. Notice how the silver instrument is able to reach further in the periodontal disease view. The gums are recessed from between the teeth, where plaque and tartar has accumulated. You can also see bone loss in the infected image, as it too is recessed past the healthy bone level.


Prevention of gingivitis can be as easy as brushing and flossing daily. The specific information relating to proper brushing and flossing techniques have been discussed and are helpful for everyone to read. You may believe you are doing everything right and come to find out that your technique is wrong. Brushing and flossing prove to be inefficient if not performed correctly, and therefore should be given ample attention to precision and care.

Before mastering the technique of brushing, make sure your toothbrush is right for your mouth. A brush with soft bristles, a small head and less than 3 months old is suggested. Your toothbrush should be changed every 3-4 months or sooner if the bristles begin to spray out.

Choose a toothpaste that has fluorine in it. The toothpaste does not need to be any fancy type; they all do the same job in fighting against plaque. This will be discussed more fully in the future.

Information obtained from the Mayo Clinic and American Academy of Periodontology.

Causes of Gingivitis

Gingivitis, a leading gum disease in American adults, was discussed in the previous post. Background information was provided to serve as a base for the next few posts, all answering common questions people ask when introduced to gingivits.

What Causes Gingivitis?

Plaque is the most common reason people get gingivitis. We've previously discussed the importance of proper oral health care and how to prevent this nearly invisible film layer from forming on your teeth. Since plaque can re-colonize and settle in only 24 hours, it is important to floss and brush daily. If not removed, it will settle and harden beneath your gum tissue, forming tartar, or calculus. It only take 3-4 days for the hardened tartar layer to form below your gum line, and then brushing and flossing become inadequate to remove the tartar. It can only be removed by a health care professional. The most common cause of gingivitis is one that can be prevented without any treatment or medication, merely some self discipline.

According to the Mayo Clinic, plaque is the main cause of gingivitis, but not the only one. Many other things can cause this periodontal disease.

Drugs from numerous prescription and over-the-counter medications for colds and anti-depressants cause a reduction in the amount of saliva produced. The presence of saliva is important as it constantly flushes the teeth, removing bacteria. With a reduced amount of saliva, bacteria grow that much easier in your mouth.

Viral and Fungal Infections are another source of gingivitis. Although bacteria is present in the mouth all the time, the Mayo Clinic gives the example of Oral thrush, where fungus normally found in the mouth grows out of control, forming white sores on the inside of cheeks, tongue, and even the roof of the mouth. These can spread to the tonsils and gums as well.

Other diseases that your body is fighting against can have an effect on your mouth when the disease reaches the cells and tissue of the mouth.

Pregnancy may affect the normal oral health because of the hormone changes. These changes may affect the gums by making them softer and increasing the blood supply. Also, morning sickness associated with pregnancy may make it harder to keep up with normal cleaning due to nausea and vomiting.

Vitamin deficiency of calcium and vitamins B and C, caused by a poor diet may lead to gum diseases. The Mayo Clinic informs that calcium is important to keep bones strong, including the bones supporting the teeth. Vitamin C helps the connective tissues of the gums and helps to remove potentially dangerous oxygen radials. An unbalanced diet, smoking, and eating disorders all lead to a lack of these essential vitamins.

Stay tuned: Treatment and Prevention will be discussed next.

Periodontal Disease: Gingivitis

Almost 80% of American adults suffer from some form of periodontal (gum) disease. This is not surprising as many people admit to their dentist that they could do more to keep their mouth healthy. Gingivitis is the leading periodontal disease and therefore is worth mentioning.

The tissues around your teeth and bone, also known as the periodontium, become infected and show typical symptoms of gingivitis including irritation and swelling. Inflammation and soreness of the gum tissue is also characteristic of the disease. When brushing and flossing, your gums may bleed without you even knowing it due to the painless start of gingivitis. Your gums will also change from a healthy pink color to deep rouge.

Your body contains thousands of bacteria that help your body. Every once in a while they may get into the wrong area of the body or a new bacteria is introduced that is dangerous to your health. When entering the mouth, bacteria are in "bacteria heaven". The mouth is warm, moist and dark, perfect for bacterium to grown and replicate. Without a healthy immune system, this welcoming environment could lead to bacteria overtaking the body.

When the immune system is overrun, the bacteria can invade the spaces between the teeth, reaching to the soft gum tissues and bone. When the bacteria reach this point, they are no longer helpful to your body, and lead to periodontal disease. There are different levels of the disease and if it is not treated properly and relatively quickly, this simple fix may become a life-threatening, ulcer-forming gingivitis. Gingivitis can range from a mild form to severe periodontitis, a more advanced gum disease. Eventual loss of bone and tooth can also result.

Image provided by the Mayo Clinic online. Sources used for this post include the Mayo Clinic and eMedicineHealth.