Your mouth is a gateway to your entire body. Anything you eat or drink passes through it to the other body organs. If there is anything wrong with your physical health, it will be apparent on your face and oral cavity. For example, it is commonly seen that mouth ulcers sometimes develop in ladies during pregnancy, or the tongue becomes white due to certain immune disorders. Likewise, your gums are an indicator of your health. While pink gums enhance one’s facial aesthetics and indicate good health, reddish, swollen, or bleeding gums are a warning sign that there is something wrong with your oral or physical health.
Why Is My Gums Swollen Around One Tooth?
If you have gum swelling or tenderness around one tooth, it may be because of poor oral hygiene maintenance and underlying periodontal inflammation. Such a situation may also arise if a tooth is misaligned and protrudes in front of the rest. Another reason for the development of swelling around a single tooth is an underlying abscess. According to the National Health Service (NHS), an abscess is the collection of pus caused by an underlying bacterial infection.
Why Do Gums Go Black?
Gums can turn black due to various reasons. In most cases, dark gums appear because of the overexpression of melanin, a pigment inside the gums. The higher the concentration of melanin, the darker the gums appear, as commonly seek in people with African, Asian or Middle Eastern ancestry.
Dark gums can also occur due to an underlying endocrine disorder. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, people who have Addison’s disease may develop dark patches on their gums.
Smoking is another reason for having dark gums. Nicotine present in tobacco actives the melanin receptors, which leads to an increased release of melanin, causing the gums to appear darker. According to a research study published in the International Journal of Environment Research and Public Health, quitting smoking can help in reducing the dark discolouration of the gums.
How To Treat Swollen Gums?
Gum disease can be easily reversed during the early stage of gum disease. If you feel that you have swollen or bleeding gums, this is the initial stage of periodontal disease. You can get rid of it by simply maintaining optimal oral hygiene through regular brushing and flossing.
In more advanced stages, plaque and tartar deposits form on the teeth, which result in the formation of a “pocket” between the teeth and the gum tissue. There is also widespread destruction of the bone tissue that supports the teeth. As a result, the teeth become mobile and may ultimately fall off if the problem is not treated timely.
To treat advanced-stage gum disease, your dentist will perform professional teeth cleaning, also known as scaling and root planning. During this procedure, your dentist or hygienist will use an ultrasonic scaler to remove the plaque and tartar deposits that harbour the bacteria which cause gum disease. Your dentist may also prescribe antibiotics to speed up the healing process.
How To Get Rid Of Inflamed Gums?
Gum disease can be prevented – and treated in its early stages- with meticulous oral hygiene maintenance. Here are a few measures that you can take to get rid of periodontal inflammation:
- Brushing at least twice a day with a fluoride-containing toothpaste
- Flossing at least once a day
- In case you do not prefer using dental floss, you may use a Waterpik
- Using a fluoride mouthwash – or any medicated mouth rinse recommended by your dentist
- Eating a diet is rich in fibres, as they help in cleaning the tooth surfaces and prevent plaque formation
- Visiting your dentist regularly for checkups
How To Tell If Gingivitis Is Healing?
You may be suffering from gingivitis if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Red swollen gums
- Sensitive teeth
- Bleeding from gums
- Pus discharge from the affected gums
- Foul smell
- Pain on chewing
- Uneven bite
Gingivitis is therefore healing if any of the above symptoms subside.
How Long Does It Take For Gingivitis To Turn Into Periodontitis?
The early stage of gum inflammation is known as gingivitis, this can begin in as little as 5 days. This stage can be easily reversed with enhanced oral care. However, if this situation is not corrected within 2 or 3 weeks then it will become more noticeable and you can add any point progress into periodontitis, an advanced form of gum disease where there widespread destruction of the tissues and bone that support the teeth.
Is Your Gum Disease Over If The Bleeding Stops?
Gum bleeding is a sign that there is ongoing inflammation. The cessation of bleeding from the gums does not necessarily mean that the gum disease is over. In some cases, you may have periodontal inflammation even in the absence of bleeding. Only your dentist can tell after an examination whether gum disease has been completely treated or not.
How Does Gum Disease Develop?
Three main factors are necessary for the development of gum disease;
- poor oral hygiene
- plaque and tartar adherence
- disease-causing bacteria.
It all starts when one ignores regular oral hygiene maintenance. This results in the formation of plaque and tartar deposits on the teeth. As discussed earlier, plaque and tartar provide an ideal environment for the disease-causing bacteria to grow and replicate – releasing toxins that attack the gum tissues and cause periodontal inflammation.
A healthy smile is a beautiful smile. By simply looking after your oral hygiene, you can prevent so many dental problems. More importantly, you should also visit your dentist regularly for checkups, as some dental issues may not be visible to the naked eye, but your dentist will detect them by using specialised equipment – treating them well before they cause permanent damage to your oral health.
If you are looking for a dental practice in Didcot or Oxford that takes care of your entire family’s oral health, look no more! At The Oxford Smile Clinics, we offer high-quality dental services to our esteemed patients. Instead of treating dental problems, we focus on diagnosing and treating them well before they grow bigger, saving you from inconvenience and time and money investment.