When you think about dental health, normally you will have in mind your teeth and the cavities in them and their colour. Normally, teeth will become yellow tinted, due to usage and lack of maintenance. Your gums are equally important and they play a major role in your dental health as well as your overall well-being.
Swollen and bleeding gums are the symptoms and signs of gum disease. There are a number of other factors also,which will cause gum problems. You will like to have white and clean teeth and you will brush your teeth vigorously. As your gums are made of sensitive tissues, brushing your teeth and gums in the wrong way and roughly, will cause damage to them.
You must choose a toothbrush with soft nylon bristles having blunted ends. The tooth brushes with medium or hard bristles, will damage the enamel on your teeth and cause bleeding and swollen gums. You must take care to brush in gentle, circular motions to massage and clean your teeth and gums. Do not use a back-and-forth motion, which will irritate and damage your gums, making them sore, bleeding and receding.
Like brushing your teeth and gums, flossing your mouth is also important to remove plaque and food particles, from inside your teeth, where your toothbrush cannot reach. You must floss your mouth gently, without giving pressure to your teeth, gums and mouth.
When you do not practice proper dental hygiene, bacteria in the mouth will form plaque on your teeth. These bacterias will cause your gums to become inflamed, resulting in swollen and bleeding gums. You will have normal gum disease or a severe gum disease known as Gingivitis, or still more severe disease called Periodontitis.
Normally Gingivitis, and the related inflammation will not be painful. You can cure Gingivitis, if detected and treated in the early stage. If Gingivitis is left untreated, it will become worse and lead to tooth loss. You must consult your dentist, if you have the following symptoms, even if you are not experiencing any discomfort:-
- Changes in the way teeth fit together on biting, or in the fit of partial dentures
- Formation of deep pockets between teeth and gums
- Gums that bleed during and after toothbrushing
- Loose or shifting teeth
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
- Receding gums
- Swollen or bleeding gums
When gingivitis becomes worse, you will have Periodontitis. The bacteria on the teeth will release toxic substances which will harm your gums and cause infection. The infection and the inflammation will spoil your gums and the bones in your jaw. It will lead to mouth ulcers.
Common causes for the painful gums are canker sores, or mouth ulcers. These painful sores will develop anywhere inside the mouth, including on the gums, and they often have a whitish center with red around the edges. You will have canker sore at a time, making only one area on your gums sore, or you will have multiple sores at the same time throughout your mouth. The canker sores are not contagious. If you have an autoimmune disease, you will have gum problems caused by canker sores, which will be recurring.
People undergoing treatment for Cancer will have Chemotherapy, which will cause many side effects, including painful, swollen, and bleeding gums, and ulcers on the gums and throughout the mouth.
Smoking and using other tobacco products will be damaging your gums, and people who smoke are more likely to develop gum disease. You may find that your smoking habit gives you a number of gum problems from sensitive gums that bleed to painful sores.
Some women find that they experience gum problems during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. The increase in hormones during puberty can heighten blood flow to the gums, making them dark red, swollen, and sensitive. For women with Menstrual-Gingivitis, the gums will become swollen and bleeding, before each menstrual period. Pregnancy gingivitis will start in the second or third month of pregnancy and will continue throughout, causing sore, swollen, and bleeding gums. The use of oral birth control products will also cause similar gum problems.
To prevent your Gum Diseases the following tips will be useful:-
- You must brush your teeth, after every eating, or atleast twice each day
- You must follow proper brushing technique
- Floss your mouth daily, atleast twice
- You must eat a well-balanced diet, including plenty of vitamin C and calcium
- You must drink plenty of water, especially after eating
- Stop Smoking
- Stop using tobacco in any form
- Do not drink too hot or too cold drinks, or water
- Avoid Stress
When I floss regularly, my gums are very healthy. But, getting myself to do that was difficult because I did not like putting my fingers into my mouth. Then I found Gripit Floss Holders (www.gripit.biz). These handy gadgets held floss tightly so I could floss my back teeth. They got me into the habit.