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Different types of gum problems, symptoms and home remedies

Gums are also as important as teeth. So many of us neglect gums and concentrate on the teeth only. Teeth will help us in chewing so we clean, brush, and floss them properly but we won’t take any care for our gums. If the support is strong then only we can chew properly. Gums give support to our teeth, which makes chewing possible. when the teeth will associate with the good support of healthy gums, we can enjoy our food. Usually, we always think that the cavity is the only common dental problem but the other common dental problem is gum bleeding which is overlooked by so many of us.  So start to take care of your gums before they create gum problems such as swelling, bleeding, and receding gums.

What is gum?

In dental terminology, the gum is called as gingiva. Healthy gums should look coral pink in color and firm, not red and swollen. The gums are part of the soft tissue lining of the mouth. They surround the teeth and provide a seal around them. They hold the teeth in the proper position which is necessary for chewing

Common gum problems are

  • Bleeding gums
  • Swollen gums
  • Receding gums

Bleeding gums

Bleeding while brushing and biting is commonly noticed by so many of us. It is very important to identify the cause of bleeding for the treatment.  If you neglect this thinking that it’s a small problem, may lead to early loss of the tooth.

why gums bleed?

Here are the reasons for the bleeding gums.

  • POOR ORAL HYGIENE
  • MALPOSITIONED TEETH               
  • BLEEDING DISORDERS
  • TRAUMA TO THE GUM
  • HORMONAL CHANGES
  • VITAMIN C, K DEFICIENCY
  • Factors like brushing too vigorously, injury, pregnancy, and inflammation can contribute to bleeding gums.

Simple ways to stop gums bleeding

Proper Brushing:-

Proper brushing is a simple solution for many dental problems. Daily twice brushing prevents small food particles accumulation between the teeth. Due to improper brushing, the accumulated food particles irritate the gums which may lead to bleeding.

Bleeding gums may be a sign of poor dental hygiene.

Gums become inflamed and bleed when there’s a buildup of plaque along the gum line. Plaque is a sticky film containing bacteria that covers your teeth and gums. And if you don’t brush or floss enough, the bacteria can spread and cause tooth decay or gum disease.

To improve oral hygiene, brush your teeth at least twice daily and floss once a day. Read more about How to Brush Your Teeth

Salt water rinse:-

The saltwater rinse helps to reduce the growth of bacteria in our mouth. Use warm salt water for rinsing. Daily four times rinse with warm salt water may help to stop the gum bleeding. If bleeding is from an injury or trauma, rinsing with a saltwater mixture also keeps your mouth clean and removes bacteria that could cause infection. The warm water rinse gives a soothing effect to the gums.

Neem leaves  water rinse:-

In  Ayurveda, neem is a popular medicinal herb that’s been part of traditional remedies

In so many villages neem twigs are used as toothbrushes. It fights germs, maintains the alkaline levels in your saliva, keeps bacteria at bay, treats swollen gums, and also gives you whiter teeth. The twig also shreds into threads, almost like bristles that also destroy and prevent plaque. Nowadays many kinds of toothpaste are also available with neem properties.

Take 10 to 15 fresh neem leaves, wash them, and boil for 15 minutes. Allow the boiling water to room temperature or warmer add one spoon of salt, after that use as a mouth rinse.

 Neem leaves have anti-bacterial properties which are why it works wonders on infections, burns, and any kind of skin problem. It destroys the bacteria that cause infections, stimulates the immune system, and encourages rapid healing.

Add vitamin c foods to your diet:-

Vitamin C is necessary for gingival health. Decreased levels of vitamin C can cause bleeding from gums. Eating foods rich in vitamin C can strengthen your immune system and help fight off the gum infections that cause bleeding gums. Vitamin c rich foods are

  • Lemons, oranges, strawberries, pineapple, guava
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Red bell pepper, broccoli
  • Cauliflower, cabbage

Add vitamin k foods to your diet:-

Vitamin K is known as the clotting vitamin. Without it, blood would not clot. Some studies suggest that it helps maintain strong bones in older adults.

  • Kale, Cabbage, broccoli, ladysfinger or okra
  • Green beans, lettuce
  • Eggs, chicken liver, fish, green leafy vegetables such as turnip greens, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, parsley, romaine, beet greens, Brussel sprouts are also good sources of vitamin k

Swollen gums

Swollen gums are relatively common. Because of irritation gums may be swollen. So if you remove the irritant, the swelling subsides. The most common gum irritant is plaque. Plaque is soft in nature and can be removed by proper brushing if it is not removed turned into calculus. Calculus is hard in nature and cannot be removed at home. Scaling is necessary to remove the calculus for which you have to visit a dental clinic.

If your gums remain swollen for more than a week, make an appointment with your dentist. They can diagnose the exact cause of the swelling, and recommend a treatment plan.

Warm and cold compresses can relieve pain and swelling in swollen gums.

Directions:

  1. After soaking a clean washcloth or towel in warm water, squeeze out the excess water.
  2. Hold the warm cloth against your face — outside the mouth, not directly on the gums — for about 5 minutes.
  3. Wrap a bag of crushed ice in a clean washcloth or towel and hold it against your face for about 5 minutes.

  Repeat the warm/cold cycle 2 to 3 more times.

· Do this 2 to 3 times a day for the first two days following discovery of swollen gums

Rinse with Hydrogen peroxide

  1. Mix 3 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 3 tablespoons of water.
  2. Swish the mixture around your mouth for about 30 seconds.
  3. Spit it out; do not swallow it.
  4. Do this 2 to 3 times a week until the swelling goes away.

Receding gums

Gingival recession is the exposure in the roots of the teeth caused by a loss of gum tissue and/or retraction of the gingival margin from the crown of the teeth. gum recession is a common problem in adults over the age of 40, but it may also occur starting from the teens. When gum recession occurs pockets or gaps form between the tooth and gum line, making it easy for disease-causing bacteria to build up. if left untreated, the supporting tissue and bone structure of the teeth can be severely damaged, and may ultimately result in tooth loss. Read more about Receding Gums Causes and Treatment

Eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus oil is an anti-inflammatory germicide that may treat receding gums and stimulate the growth of new gum tissue

Salt water rinse

For use as a bacterial agent and for soothing gum inflammation, saltwater rinse could be effective.  To do a salt rinse:

  1. Thoroughly combine 1 tsp. of salt and 1 cup of warm water.
  2. Rinse your mouth with this saltwater mixture for 30 seconds.
  3. Spit out the rinse — don’t swallow it.
  4. Repeat this two to three times a day.

Prevention of  receding gums

  • Maintain good oral hygiene
  • Use soft bristled tooth brush
  • Follow the proper brushing technique
  • Avoid over brushing
  • Use dental floss in a correct way
  • Quit smoking
  • Take well balanced healthy diet
  • Eliminate the habits like nails or pencil digging
  • Correction of abnormal frenal attachments

Dental Health Guide, Providing information on dental care and dental hygiene along with detailing the most common dental diseases with symptoms and treatment methods. Readers should use the dental articles as reference only and consult a dentist and visit a dental clinic for dental health problems.

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