What Can Make My Gums Sore and Inflamed?

While your teeth probably get most of the credit for your smile, it can be easy to forget all that your gums do to allow you to chew easily, speak clearly, and keep your teeth in place. Inflammation of the gums, which is also called gingivitis, is the first stage of gum disease. While it is reversible, it can advance to the far more serious stage of periodontitis if left untreated. Here’s what can cause your gums to become sore and inflamed and what you can do to prevent or treat it.

What Causes Gingivitis?

The usual culprits behind gingivitis are poor oral hygiene or bad habits such as smoking or alcohol abuse. If the teeth are not brushed and flossed properly and regularly, plaque will accumulate along or beneath the gumline. Plaque is sort of like a housing development for harmful oral bacteria, and from them, these germs will launch invasions into your gums, teeth, and other soft tissues. When your gums are first infected, they will become inflamed and swollen around the bases of the teeth. In other words, you will develop gingivitis.

Smoking makes the problem worse because nicotine has the side effects of preventing blood from clotting and causing blood vessels to constrict. This makes it harder for the gums to heal and fight infection while the other noxious chemicals in tobacco smoke irritate their tissues, making the smoker more vulnerable to gingivitis.

The hormonal shifts that happen during pregnancy or menopause can also contribute to gingivitis, and brushing or flossing too hard can cause your gums to become irritated, inflamed, and more vulnerable to infection.

How Can I Prevent or Treat Gingivitis?

Reversing or preventing gingivitis usually only takes a sincere effort toward improved oral hygiene. Proper oral care includes a daily regimen of brushing, flossing, and using antibacterial mouthwash to eliminate plaque and food debris. This will remove harmful bacteria from your mouth while also cutting off their food supply, making it harder for them to grow back afterward.

It’s equally important to see your dentist at least twice a year for routine exams and cleanings. These appointments allow your dentist to give your mouth a deep cleaning while also monitoring it for oral health issues in their early stages so they can be corrected before they get worse.

Gingivitis is a nasty and insidious little menace that is easy to manage with the right habits. By taking care of gingivitis in its early stages, you can prevent issues like tooth loss, gum erosion, and dangerous secondary infections that can result from periodontitis.

About the Practice

Scotch Plains Fanwood Dental Care provides excellent oral health services and compassionate customer service to the community of Fanwood, NJ. Led by Drs. Ahmad Kareem Osman, David A. Malakov, Kirk A. Kalogiannis, and Jason Lin, the staff ensures that each patient receives the personalized, holistic, and effective treatments they deserve. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry. To learn more about caring for your gums properly, contact the office online or dial (908) 322-3222.