What is gum disease?
The earliest stage of gum disease is known as Gingivitis. It involves the inflammation of the tissues that surround and support our teeth. Usually, gum disease results due to poor dental hygiene in individuals. The earliest signs that point to gingivitis includes gums that are red and swollen, along with bleeding when brushing or flossing one’s teeth. Unless taken care of in the early stages, gingivitis usually worsens into periodontitis.
The onset of gum disease occurs due to food debris that gets mixed with the bacteria and saliva present inside the mouth. This develops into dental plaque, that is known to stick to the tooth surface. If one does not practice proper dental hygiene, the dental plaque gets mineralized to form tartar, which cannot be easily removed and needs professional dental cleaning to eliminate completely.
Gingivitis vs. Periodontitis
Harmful bacteria are known to reside in the dental plaque and tartar, causing irritation in the gums and leading to gingivitis. If left untreated, gingivitis aggravates from the gums to the bones and leads to periodontitis. In such a case, the bone below the gums get inflamed or infected. When the underlying bone has been infected, the gums starts to recede away from the teeth and form deep gum pockets. This is referred to as attachment loss.
The gum pockets are prone to tartar and plaque and as it is difficult to reach inside to clean the tartar, more bone loss results. With the progress in periodontal disease, more bone tissue gets lost and the gum pockets become deeper, causing the tooth to become loose and fall out. In order to avoid severe damage to the gum tissues, it is extremely essential to undertake measures early on to prevent gum disease from aggravating.
From the onset of gingivitis, there are usually signs of gum pain, that can cause a lot of problems. In order to prevent the condition from getting out of hand, one can undertake a series of natural home remedies, which are known to help control the pain and reverse the damage caused to the gums. For better results, it is necessary that individuals complement the natural remedies with appropriate oral hygiene that includes brushing twice and flossing on a daily basis.
Home Remedies for Gum Diseases
If you are facing gum pain, here are some of the home remedies that you can try:
1. Rinsing with saltwater
One of the best home remedies that are sure to work includes rinsing your mouth with water that has salt added to it. Swishing the mixture inside your mouth for some time is known to help a lot. The salt helps in preventing the growth of bacteria in your mouth, and decreases the amount of bacteria in your gums, which is quite useful in reducing the swelling of gums. The saltwater rinse should be done twice daily in order to reduce the pain and swelling in the gums.
2. Hot/cold compress
Trying a hot or cold compress can be quite useful in reducing one’s pain. For a hot compress, one needs to heat water, soak a clean cloth and squeeze out the excess water. This cloth can then be applied gently near the area where the pain has been occurring. If you would like to apply a cold compress, ice wrapped in a clean cloth can be applied to the area. Either method is known to show results, or one can alternate between a hot and a cold compress until the swelling or inflammation reduces.
3. Applying a herbal paste
Gum pain and gingivitis can be treated with the help of certain herbs. Clove powder can be an oral pain reliever. Turmeric is also known to be quite helpful in relieving the pain. Powdered herbs, mixed with a little water, can be made into a paste that can directly be applied to the gums in order to reduce the pain and the swelling caused.
4. Homemade dental spray
Essential oils that can be diluted into a homemade spray can be a good treatment for treating gum pain. Certain essential oils such as peppermint, oregano and clove have natural pain-relieving properties, which work in reducing the pain and swelling. Spraying some amount of the oil on the gums could be a home remedy that works.
5. Using teabags
Used teabags are a good remedy for treating painful gums. Tea that is high in astringent tannins or tea that has anti-inflammatory properties can be a good solution. Black tea, green tea, or the infused with ginger or chamomile are popular examples of tea that can be effective. After having steeped the teabag into water, the used teabag can be removed and allowed to cool, after which it can be directly applied to the painful gums.
6. Applying an anaesthetic gel
There are several medicated oral gels, which contain natural and synthetic compounds, which can numb and treat the pain in the gums. Pain-numbing compounds such as clove or Spilanthes often form the basis of these medicated gels.
7. Over-the-counter pills
Some common painkillers are likely to work well in subsiding gum pain, in case other home remedies are not working appropriately. If the pain is stubborn and the above-mentioned home remedies do not work well in curing the pain, over-the-counter painkillers can be a possible solution in curing the pain.
Some other natural remedies that you could consider for treating gum pain and swelling includes using neem, which is known to possess anti-bacterial properties. Using a mouthwash that is infused with neem can be effective in reducing plaque and treating gingivitis. Using a toothpaste that is infused with tee tree oil can be very effective. Other than that, research has shown that cranberry can help to prevent bacteria from sticking to the teeth. You could also try to fill your diet with food items that are rich in vitamin c, such as orange, grapefruit, kiwi, mango, papaya, broccoli, and brussels sprouts.
When should you see a doctor?
If you have undertaken one or more of the home remedies for treating gum pain or swelling of the gums and still haven’t seen positive results, it is highly likely that the gingivitis could have aggravated. In such a situation, it is a good option to see a professional dentist, who could help to understand the underlying cause of the gum pain or swelling and offer medical treatment that can help reduce the pain caused.
It is good advise to seek professional treatment when
- the pain becomes intense or is persistent,
- interferes with your eating or sleeping patterns,
- there are also other symptoms involved.
When choosing a dentist to consult for your treatment, it is necessary to properly review the credentials of the dentist of your choice and go through the patient reviews of previous dental patients. This will help you to make the adequate choice when it comes to choosing the right dental professional for your treatment for gingivitis or gum disease.
If you are looking for a dentist in Hamilton for your treatment, it is always best to conduct your own search on the internet for the dentist of your choice. Choosing a dentist who seems capable of treating gum disease and then adequately verifying the information of the dental clinic and dentist will help you make the best choice. You should also take the time to go through the reviews of previous patients who have undergone treatment and also calling the clinic if necessary, in order to get the best quality of treatment that is possible.