5 At-Home Remedies Dentists Recommend to Fight Gingivitis

The first stage of gum/periodontal disease is gingivitis and occurs when bacteria and plaque build up in the area where the gum is attached to the teeth. This plaque, if not removed, leads to an infection on your gum. Gingivitis will not always show symptoms, but it makes your gum swollen, tender, and reddish. If left unchecked, it will develop to the other severe stages of gum disease, which are expensive, painful, and complicated to treat.

Regular oral check-ups by our dentist near you and maintaining good oral hygiene will help clear up gingivitis and prevent worse gum disease.

It is possible to manage gingivitis at home, especially with the help of a dentist. However, if untreated, gingivitis will lead to periodontitis, which is more severe and can lead to teeth loss.

Cause of Gingivitis

The most typical cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene. This encourages the build-up of plaque on your teeth, which causes inflammation of the teeth surrounding the teeth. Plaque turns into tartar which collects more bacteria, and then irritation on the area of your gum surrounding the teeth begins. It consequently leads to inflammation of the gum, and it will easily bleed. At this stage, a visit to the dental clinic in Covington is advised to prevent the development of periodontitis.

Several factors increase the chances of getting gingivitis. You may be at higher risk if you have;

• Diabetes
• A family history of gum disease
• Chew or smoke tobacco
• Are expectant or having other hormonal changes tied to oral health
• Have hard to clean teeth (crooked), or if you don’t maintain good oral hygiene

Home Remedies to Prevent gingivitis

There are several things you can do at home if you have inflamed gums. They are:

• Rinse your mouth with saltwater. Since salt is a natural disinfectant, it helps your body to heal itself. But remember, too much of something is poisonous, so do not use salt water for long since it might cause negative impacts on your teeth.
• Use of mouth wash. If saltwater fails to relieve your symptoms, you can move on to using advanced mouthwash. You can use homemade or use over-the-counter mouthwashes such as lemongrass oil, aloe vera, tea tree oil, sage, and guava leaf mouth wash. Always spit the mouth wash after swishing.
• Oil-pulling. Swish oil around your mouth for 20 to 30 minutes to eliminate toxins and reduce harmful bacteria. You can use coconut oil for this.
• Clove application. Mince about one teaspoon of cloves and apply them on your gum for about one minute before swishing with water and spit the solution. Do not use large quantities of cloves, and make sure you don’t keep it in your mouth for a longer time.
• Turmeric gel application. Apply turmeric gel to your gums after brushing your teeth and wait for about 10 minutes before swishing with water and spitting it out. It would be best if you did this twice a day.

Prevention of Periodontal diseases

Prevention is always better than cure. With gingivitis, there are a couple of things you can do to prevent your teeth from getting infected

• Brush twice a day to remove any plaque that has formed on your teeth.
• Floss teeth at least once a day to remove plaque which your toothbrush might fail to remove
• Visit our dentist at least twice in a year for an oral check-up and cleaning just in case tartar has been formed on your teeth.
• Use an electric toothbrush which has proven to be more effective in removing plaque.
• Reduce consumption of sugary foods and drinks, including alcohol.
• Stop smoking or chewing tobacco.
• Replace your toothbrush after every three months.

Precautions for Gingivitis

Untreated gingivitis can advance to gum disease (periodontitis), which might even lead to tooth loss.

It is important to know if you are at risk of getting gum gingivitis so as to implement preventive measures. Make regular visits to the dentist to identify the disease early and maintain good oral hygiene.

Visit us at Creative Dentistry of Covington to get a periodontics treatment in Covington, GA. We have machines and qualified dentists to diagnose and treat you in case you are diagnosed with gingivitis. We also have an emergency dentist in Covington. Contact us today and book an appointment.