Gum infection which is also known as the precedent to periodontal disease or gum disease is common among many people in the world today. It is important to know what gum infection is and how to spot gum infection symptoms and gum infection treatment.  This would give you the perfect understanding of what to do is you are faced with such a situation.

Gum infection is caused by the growth of bacteria in the mouth. If left untreated, this growth would eventually lead to tooth loss. This is because the tissues which are around the teeth would be completely destroyed. While gum infection or disease is rampant, it is important to understand the difference between gum infection and gum disease.

Difference between Gum Infection and Gum Disease

Gum infection is usually called Gingivitis while gum disease is called periodontal disease. Gum infection is usually the first symptom of gum disease. It is also important to note that it is not in all cases that gum infection would lead to gum diseases

In gum infections, there is no tooth loss. However, the gum which holds the teeth in place would become irritated and this would lead to swelling. It is important to note that the tissues of the gum are not yet affected in an irreversible way.

Periodontal disease, on the other hand, would affect the gap which exists between the tooth and the gums. When this happens, all tissues which surround the tooth would start to break or crack under the pressure. This would if left unchecked make your tooth to start falling out.

It is important then that you know what the gum infection symptoms are and how your gum can be treated if you discover that you have been affected by gum infections. This would make sure that your condition does not progress to full-blown gum disease.

Causes of Gum infection

Gum infection and in extension gum disease can be caused by a variety of things. Knowing what causes it would allow us to be able to take care of our gums properly. Here are the top causes of gum infections;

Smoking

When people smoke, they are unintentionally going to war against the tissues in their gum. The tissues and their immunity would be weakened by smoking. This would leave them vulnerable to various times of infections. If left unchecked, it could even lead to gum disease.

Plaque

Plaque is the leading cause of all gum infections and disease. Plaque refers to the bacteria that forms a thin layer on our teeth. It can be felt by your tongue touching your teeth. Plaque can be removed if you regularly brush your mouth. It can also be removed by rinsing and flossing your teeth regularly. If you seem to have plaques on a regular basis, it may be time for you to starting treating your teeth better

Deficiencies

While we all know that getting all the vitamins needed daily for the body to work at an optimal level is difficult, not having vitamins C can cause gum infection. Hence, make sure that you have a healthy dosage of vitamins C on a regular basis. If you are used to taking meals that have a high quantity of sugar and is also high on carbohydrates, then you are planning for disaster in the long term.

Hereditary

Another thing which might come back to bite you is your family background. If your family is one who has had a lot of trouble with gum disease in the past, the likelihood of you being infected by it is also very high. This means that you would have to take more care to ensure that you are not affected by the disease.

Medication

Medications can also be a source of worry and can create the perfect condition for bacteria to grow in the mouth. When you take in medication most times, the saliva in your mouth would become thicker. The thickness would result in a much slower flow in the mouth. This would eventually lead to your mouth being dry. A dry mouth is a perfect habitat for bacteria to grow. Bacteria growth would, in turn, lead to gum infection and disease.

Crooked Teeth

It is bad news for you if you have crooked teeth. The same would apply for anyone who has teeth that overlap or teeth that is rotated. Gum disease and infection find this sort of environment to be very good for growth. This is because crooked teeth leave a lot of space. Plaques need space in between teeth and your gum line in order to grow comfortably. One of the main causes of gum infections is therefore crooked teeth and other deformities in the teeth.

Hormones

Another thing which can cause gum infections in the teeth is hormonal shifts. This is more likely to happen during pregnancy. It can also happen with ladies during your monthly period. During this period, the gums would be much more vulnerable to infection and even gum disease. You could get gum which would be tender and sensitive.

Gum Infection Symptoms

Gum infection symptoms can be minor or major. Either way, non-treatment of the gum infection symptoms can lead to even more serious issues. One reason why gum infection symptoms occur is because of negligence in health care. Here are some of the symptoms that you would have to look at for;

Swollen gums

The first sign which you would notice would be swollen gums. This is mostly due to the presence of bacteria in the gum. You could also be subject to tender gums which would be sensitive to touch. In the worst possible situation, you might even experience bleeding gums.

Pus

If your gum has been damaged by gum infection, there is also the possibility of pus coming from it. Pus is a sign of bacteria that has loosened the tissues around your gum. It is a major sign of gum infection

Bad Breath

Do you have bad breath which would not go away despite how hard you brush? This could be a sign of gum infection. If you notice that your breath is becoming worst despite taking all necessary steps to cure the problem, you might be facing gum infection

Loose Teeth

Loss teeth is also another gum infection symptoms which should not be taken lightly. The weaker your tissues become, the weaker your gum would be. Gum can be described as the socket which holds the teeth firmly in its place. A weak gum would lead to loose teeth. Weak gums are caused mostly by gum infection. It might be time to check on your teeth.

Change of Position of your Teeth

Your teeth have a pattern which would be familiar to you. Therefore, you know the way you bite things. If you notice any significant change in this, then you might just be facing some form of gum infection.

These symptoms might not point to gum infection problems especially if they occur in isolations. However, while that is true, seeking help from your doctor is usually your best line of action. Doctors would be in a better position to estimate just how bad the damage to your gum is and ways in which your situation can be improved.

Gum Infection Treatment

If you find out that you have gum infections, it is not the end of the world neither is it permanent. The next step would be to take necessary action to stop the process from getting to gum disease. It is also important to note that treatments would also correspond to the extent of damage that has affected the gum infection. Here are some useful gum infection treatments that would help you in the long term;

Therapy

Most infections which the human race face today are normally treated with antibiotics. Therefore, taking an antibiotic therapy would also help in making sure that your gum infection does not get worse. Anti-biotic therapy is one of the more popular types of treating gum infection. It can also take place in various forms. One of the most used methods would be injecting the gum with the antibiotics. It is important to remember that the injection should only be done by a dentist. Doing it by ourselves would only lead to more problems in the end.  

Root Planning and Scaling

Another option for treatment is the root planning and scaling treatment. This is the procedure that would entail the elimination of plaque. This is also known as scaling. Then after the removal of plaque is done, the parts of the gum which has been exposed at the roots would then be smoothened. These treatments would help to reduce the chances of gum disease ever developing in the future. It would also clean up the gums and the spaces which exist before the teeth.

Surgery

Surgery in the form of flap surgery would be another alternative to solving the defects caused by the gum infection. You would have to perform surgery which would readjust your bones and tissues in the gum.

Gingivectomy

If the gum infection is too bad, then you might have to go for a gingivectomy. This procedure is carried out with the sole aim of removing the tissues that are present in the gum. This would be one of the last resorts to cure a gum infection.

How to prevent gum infection

It is thus clear that it is better to avoid gum infections in the first place. There are several things or tips which you can follow to reduce the likelihood of ever developing gum infections.  Here are the most salient ones;

Brushing

It has been said so many times that brushing twice is the right standard to maintain healthy teeth and gums. When brushing, you should also make sure that your toothpaste has ingredients made from fluoride. These toothpastes are often called anti-gingivitis in nature. They would go a long way in eliminating those stubborn bacterial stuck in the teeth and around the line of your gum. This would make sure that your gum is always clean and healthy.

Flossing the Teeth

Using a toothpick to clean the teeth can be detrimental to your teeth and gums. That is why dental floss is available. It is very important that you clean your teeth completely before the end of the day. Do not allow the particles around your teeth to build up or accumulate. This would lead to plaque and other infections which you surely do not want for your teeth.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash is usually used by a lot of people. Many people love the fact that it gives their mouth a nice smell and eliminates bad breath. However, using anti-gingivitis mouthwash would do so much more than that. It would also help you to eliminate all types of bacteria that are currently present in the mouth. These bacteria would also cause plaque in the teeth. When it comes to mouthwash, there are various features which each brand can offer. Some mouthwash would focus on the enamel, others would focus on making sure your teeth are as white as possible.

Professional advice

It would also be necessary to ensure that you visit a dentist every once in a while. This would ensure that you have professional advice always by your side. Dentists or dental professional would also be able to spot gum infection symptoms and administer the appropriate gum infection treatments. Tartar buildup would also be prevented. Tartar buildup is one of the leading causes of plaque in the teeth. Seeing a dentist regularly would ensure that tartar does not accumulate and that the hidden corners where it would most likely be can be cleaned thoroughly.

Conclusion

Gum infections are things which can cause us discomfort in the long run. If such situations arise, the best option would be to treat it immediately. However, it would also be better to make sure that you prevent gum infection symptoms by cleaning your teeth on a regular basis.