It can’t be taken lightly, it turns out that this is a trigger and cause of swollen gums. Also know how to treat and tips to prevent it only in the following article.
There are many types of health problems that can attack the oral area, including the gums and teeth. In addition to being prone to occur, health problems in these body parts can also be very disturbing to cause the sufferer to find it difficult to move.
One of the health problems that often occurs in the mouth is swollen gums. When the gums swell, the mouth will feel uncomfortable, and lead to damage to the bones and supporting tissues of the teeth if left untreated. In order to treat swollen gums properly, you must first know what causes it.
Also Read: Cavities Can Cause These 4 Diseases! Here’s How To Overcome It
Causes Of Swollen Gums In General
Causes of Swollen Gums
Swollen gums are a common oral health problem. In some cases, the problem of swollen gums can be very annoying because they are large enough to completely cover the teeth.
In general, there are several causes of swollen gums, namely:
- Plaque that builds up on your teeth because you rarely brush your teeth.
- Smoke.
- Fungal, bacterial, or viral infections that cause inflammation or gingivitis on the gums.
- Lack of intake of vitamins C and B.
- Gum conditions that are sensitive to the use of mouthwash or toothpaste.
- Using certain types of drugs, for example, corticosteroid drugs, antiepileptic drugs, calcium channel blockers, and hormonal contraceptives.
- Improper installation of dentures or other dental equipment.
Some Things That Can Trigger Swollen Gum Problems
In addition to the common causes mentioned above, there are also several things that can trigger the problem of swollen and painful gums.
-
Too Hard When Brushing Teeth
Brushing teeth is good for maintaining oral health and hygiene, especially gums and teeth. However, make sure not to be too hard when brushing your teeth because this can actually hurt the gums and eventually swell.
When brushing your teeth too hard, the gum tissue will be damaged and cause the gum line to loosen. In severe cases, the loosening of the gum line will partially expose the roots of the teeth and eventually cause the problem of sensitive teeth.
To avoid this, make sure to brush your teeth properly and use the type of toothbrush that fits the condition of your teeth and has soft bristles to keep it safe when it hits the inside of your mouth.
-
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is a condition in which there is a serious enough infection of the gums to damage the soft tissue and bone that supports the teeth. Periodontitis is a more severe condition than gingivitis which not only causes red and swollen gums, but also triggers bleeding gums, shrinks, discharges pus, and prolonged bad breath.
-
Braces Installation
Installing braces can also be a trigger for swollen gums. There is friction between bracket or braces with the inside of the lips, gums, tongue, and cheeks can cause sores and irritation. As a result, there will be quite intense pain that can last for several weeks at the start of wearing braces.
To overcome this problem, you can compress the side of the face that feels sore using cold water or ice cubes. Through cold temperatures, the nerves will become less active and relieve the pain.
-
Sprue
Canker sores are also often one of the reasons why the gums swell. The pain and stinging caused by canker sores are generally intense and make it difficult for sufferers to eat or speak. Swollen gums caused by canker sores can be caused by problems with the immune system, viral or bacterial infections, as well as injury or impact on the mouth.
Treatment for canker sores can be done by gargling with salt water. It’s simple, dissolve about half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and use it to gargle for some time. After that, rinse your mouth with plain water and the canker sores will disappear in no time.
-
Effects of Chemotherapy Treatment
Several types of drugs are consumed during chemotherapy allegedly often cause some disturbing side effects. Not only swollen gums, the use of these drugs also often causes nausea and vomiting, changes skin color, and hair loss.
-
Changes in Female Hormones
Finally, swollen and painful gums can also occur due to changes in female hormones, such as due to pregnancy, menstruation, puberty, and so on. menopause. During menstruation or puberty, levels of the hormone progesterone increase and enough blood flows to the gums. This causes redness of the gums, swelling, and becomes more sensitive and bleeds easily. The same symptoms can also occur in elderly women when entering the phase menopause.
Also Read: Tooth cysts, know the causes and how to treat them
How to Treat Swollen Gums
How to Treat Swollen Gums
In mild conditions, complaints of swollen gums can be handled by maintaining oral hygiene, such as regularly brushing your teeth 2 times a day, compressing your cheeks with warm or cold water, and using mouthwash or special toothpaste for sensitive gums or teeth. Besides that, you can also do scaling so that plaque on teeth can be cleaned, as well as root planning so that the roots of the teeth and between the gums can be cleaned and remove bacteria.
If the problem of swollen gums occurs as a side effect of using the drug, talk to your doctor about it. That way, the doctor can decide to change or stop using the drug.
In severe conditions, swollen gums are known as acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis or can be abbreviated ANUG. In this condition, the patient is advised to immediately undergo treatment with a doctor so that appropriate medical treatment can be carried out, such as giving mouthwash containing hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine, pain relievers, and antibiotics.
Tips for Preventing Swollen Gums
- Maintain oral and dental hygiene every day.
- Eat a balanced diet, especially one that contains vitamin C and calcium.
- Drink a sufficient amount of white water.
- Reduce consumption of foods and drinks that are too cold or hot.
- For smokers, immediately stop the habit so that various health problems do not attack.
Don’t underestimate the role of the gums and take good care of their health
Can cause bad breath, difficulty eating and speaking, maintaining healthy gums is an important thing to do. Therefore, when you find out that your gums have health problems, including swollen gums, immediately take the right treatment so that the condition doesn’t get worse. In addition, make it a habit to live a clean lifestyle, maintain the intake of food consumed, and routinely carry out dental and oral checks so that you don’t get swollen and sore gums.
Also Read: There are 12, these are the types of dental care that are important to do
Disclaimer:
This news is a collaboration between Republika.co.id and Cermati.com. Matters related to writing, photos, graphics, videos, and the overall content of the news are the responsibility of Cermati.com.
–