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Gingivitis is a fairly common and mild infection that causes irritation, redness, and inflammation of the part of your gums surrounding the base of your teeth. Taking care of it sooner than later will help protect your oral health from more serious gum disease and tooth loss. Your gums are crucial for providing a nourishing foundation for healthy tooth roots and being a protective barrier between bacteria in your mouth and your bloodstream. Here’s how you can recognize its signs and symptoms to get ahead of gingivitis and save your gums!
How to Prevent Gingivitis
The most common cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene. As such, maintaining a good, solid oral health routine can reduce your risk of getting it. Brushing and flossing thoroughly at least twice a day, using mouthwash daily, as well as keeping up with your regular six-month dental checkups helps to prevent and even reverse gingivitis. Additionally, eating a well-balanced, nutritious diet and quitting bad habits such as smoking can help preserve your oral health.
5 Symptoms of Gingivitis
Healthy gums are pale pink, firm, and tightly fit around your teeth. Some warning signs of gingivitis include:
- Dusky or dark red gums
- Swollen, tender, or puffy gums
- Receding gums
- Gums that bleed easily from brushing or flossing
- Bad breath that doesn’t stop after chewing gum, rinsing, or brushing your teeth
What to Do if You Have Gingivitis: Your Next Steps
If you are noticing some of the signs and symptoms of gingivitis, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. The sooner you seek care, the better your chances are of reversing and preventing damage. If left untreated, gingivitis can quickly progress into periodontitis. Once you reach the periodontitis stage of gum disease, the damage is likely irreversible because of lost structural support around your teeth.
To maintain the health and condition of your smile, make sure you’re practicing good oral hygiene and routinely seeing your dentist! When it comes to oral health, your teeth are the center of attention, but your gums matter just as much. These preventive measures will go a long way to preserving your pearly whites for years to come.
About the Practice
Here at Laketown Family Dental, we believe preventive dentistry is the best way to ensure the longevity of your smile. Our incredible husband-and-wife team of Drs. Eric and Ariel Heisser provide a wide array of dental services, ranging from checkups to implants. To protect you from gum disease, we offer several options such as scaling and root planing and antibiotic therapy. If you want more information on how to combat gingivitis, contact Laketown Family Dental at our website or by phone at (231) 737-2273.