Gingivitis
(Gum Disease · Periodontitis · Trench Mouth)
In this condition factsheet:
Diagnosing Gingivitis
Gingivitis is easily diagnosed by the appearance of the gums. The appearance of the inflammation will help your doctor or dentist distinguish a bacterial infection from the herpes virus. Scrapings could yield information on the species of bacteria involved, but it's rarely relevant to treatment, so it's not generally done. Your dentist may look at the depth of the pockets around each tooth: depths greater than 3mm have a high risk of gingivitis.
Occasionally, gingivitis is the first sign of some other disease such as diabetes or leukemia. A doctor may want to give someone with gingivitis a more thorough examination if there is severe gum disease for no apparent reason.
Treating and Preventing Gingivitis
Thorough flossing and brushing can prevent gingivitis. Tartar control toothpaste, though not scientifically evaluated, may also help with prevention.
Some types of antibacterial mouthwash may also be helpful. The most effective ones contain the ingredient chlorhexidine (e.g., Perichlor®, Denti-Care®). Most traditional mouthwashes contain high amounts of alcohol, which may cause alcohol burn. These mouthwashes can be very irritating to already inflamed gums. They also do not get rid of sulphur-containing compounds (bacteria toxins) that cause bad breath. Mouthwashes containing chlorhexidine or chlorine dioxide will control bacterial growth.
Electric toothbrushes are also more effective than manual toothbrushes in removing the plaque that causes gingivitis. If you have a severe infection, your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic.
Studies have shown that brushing can prevent gingivitis in adults and children. Flossing appears not to help in children, though it's a good habit for them to form. However, people with diseases that make gingivitis more likely (such as diabetes) shouldn't rely on good oral hygiene alone to prevent it. Treating the disease itself is very important in preventing gingivitis.
Once plaque has turned to tartar, only a dentist can remove it. Dentists recommend having your teeth professionally cleaned every year or every 6 months. Some people with predisposing disorders gingivitis may need a professional cleaning every 3 months or even as frequently as every 2 weeks.
Plaque and tartar removal can also be the treatment for early gingivitis. Once the plaque and tartar are gone, the inflammation tends to subside quickly.
If the disease develops into periodontitis, periodontal deep cleaning or periodontal surgery may be needed. This involves opening up the gums to get at the infected area. Infected tissue is removed, and the root of the threatened tooth is scaled (the tartar is scraped off). Sometimes this can be done without actually cutting the gum (periodontal deep cleaning). Really severe disease might even require bone grafts.
Acute herpetic gingivostomatitis can't be cured, but it goes away on its own after about 2 weeks. Pregnancy tumours can be removed by a dentist.
Trench mouth, or acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), can be treated with appropriate antibiotics and thorough tooth and gum cleaning by a dental professional. Early treatment by your dentist is recommended.
Postmenopausal people who have desquamative gingivitis may benefit from hormone replacement therapy.
*All medications have both common (generic) and brand names. The brand name is what a specific manufacturer calls the product (e.g., Tylenol®). The common name is the medical name for the medication (e.g., acetaminophen). A medication may have many brand names, but only one common name. This article lists medications by their common names. For information on a given medication, check our Drug Information database. For more information on brand names, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/Gingivitis
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