Gingivitis
Gingivitis
21 Remedies to Stop Gum Disease
Once upon a time, maybe just last year, plaque was one of those medical terms the dentist threw around and you ignored.
The dentist would say, "Gotta brush and floss these teeth a little better. Lotta plaque on them."
You would say, "Uh huh. Sure. You're right." Then you would go home and brush and floss faithfully for a couple of days. But in a week or so the brushing and flossing would fall back to a lick-and-a-promise schedule that would last until your next dental appointment.
Today was different.
The dentist said, "Your gums are swollen and red. Today's cleaning made them bleed. You have gingivitis. And if you don't do something about it, you're going to lose your teeth."
Ooops. That 30-second lick-and-a-promise has caught up with you.
You aren't alone. A survey reported in the Journal of the American Dental Association showed a majority of adults has early signs of periodontal disease. Gingivitis is the first sign of periodontal disease. And gum disease is the major reason adults lose their teeth.
But don't despair. There's some good news in that terrible message your dentist just gave you. You are the one who can save your teeth. And the treatments aren't so hard. Here's what to do.
Don't just take 30 seconds anymore. If you want to get rid of gingivitis, you have to take time to floss and brush correctly. You're going to have to block out 3 to 5 minutes twice or three times a day for good oral hygiene, says Robert Schallhorn, D.D.S., Aurora, Colorado, dentist and past president of the American Academy of Periodontology.
Brush at the gumline. The plaque-catching area around the gumline is where gingivitis starts, and it is the most neglected area when we brush, says Vincent Cali, D.D.S., a New York City dentist and author of The New, Lower-Cost Way to End Gum Trouble without Surgery. Place your brush at a 45-degree angle to your teeth so half of your brush cleans your gums while the other half cleans your teeth. Then, shimmy your brush, don't scrape.
Have two toothbrushes. Alternate between them, advises Dr. Cali. Allow one to dry and air out while using the other.
Get a power tool. Studies show an electric rotary toothbrush typically removes 98.2 percent of plaque, versus 48.6 percent removed by hand brushing.
Bank some bone. Gingivitis is the beginning of what Dr. Cali calls periodontal osteoporosis. Just like the bones in the rest of your skeleton can shrink and get brittle, so, too, can your jawbone. Bolster your bones with plenty of calcium (found in dairy products, salmon, almonds, and dark greens), exercise, and a no-smoking policy.
Try a gum massage. Grip your gums between your thumb and index finger (index on the outside) and rub, suggests Richard Shepard, D.D.S., a retired dentist in Durango, Colorado. He says this will increase healthy blood circulation to your gums.
Stock up on vitamin C. Vitamin C won't cure gingivitis, but it can help check bleeding gums, according to a study at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Western Nutrition Research Center in San Francisco, California.
MEDICAL ALERT
Ignore Them and They Will Go Away What happens if you ignore the sore, bleeding gums that are a sign of gingivitis? You risk more serious periodontal disease and the possible loss of your teeth. Here are the signs that warn you your gingivitis is getting more serious. If you have any of them, see your dentist. - You have bad breath that doesn't go away within 24 hours.
- Your teeth look longer—a result of your gums shrinking away from your teeth.
- Your mouth feels out of alignment when you shut it because your teeth come together differently.
- Your partial dentures fit differently.
- Pus pockets form between your teeth and gums.
- Your teeth are loose or fall out.
Also, if your gums still bleed when you brush your teeth and continue to be sore and swollen despite your efforts at good oral hygiene, you need to see your dentist again. |
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Brandish a proxa brush. A proxa brush is a specially-designed brush (available at most drugstores) that's shaped like a tiny bottle brush. It slides between your teeth or under your crown or bridge to reach those hard-to-reach places, says Roger P. Levin, D.D.S., president of the Baltimore Academy of General Dentistry.
Use Listerine. In a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, Listerine mouthwash was proven to be effective in inhibiting the development of plaque and in reducing gingivitis.
Look at the label. When buying generic mouthwash, look for the chemicals cetylpridinium chloride or domiphen bromide on the label. Research shows these are the active ingredients in mouthwash that reduces dental plaque.
Examine your lifestyle. Too much stress? Too little relaxation? Do you work around toxic chemicals? Any of those factors can adversely affect your gums. Dr. Cali says people need to examine every aspect of their lifestyles to see what they might change to make living more healthy.
Cut your vices. Excessive smoking and drinking can drain your body of vitamins and minerals vital to a healthy mouth, says Dr. Cali.
Scrape your tongue. Remove the bacteria and toxins hiding there. Dr. Cali says it doesn't matter what you use to scrape with, as long as it isn't sharp. He recommends a demitasse spoon, a washed poker chip, a Popsicle stick, a tongue depressor, or your toothbrush. Scrape from back to front 10 to 15 times.
Take an intermission. Don't try to perform all these oral ablutions in one day. Massage your gums one day, scrape your tongue the next, says Dr. Cali. If you do something different after you brush and floss, you won't bore yourself to death.
Snuff it with H2O2. Buy a 3 percent solution of hydrogen peroxide, mix it half-and-half with water, and swish it around your mouth for 30 seconds. Don't swallow. Use this wash three times a week to inhibit bacteria, says Dr. Cali.
Wash with an oral irrigation unit. Use an oral irrigation device to flush water around your teeth and gums, says Dr. Cali. To use it correctly, direct the stream of water between your teeth, not down into your gums.
Pack a portable irrigator. When you travel, carry an ear syringe (a rubber bulb with a long nose). Fill it with water, then flush your teeth, says Dr. Cali.
Use a gum stimulator. A rubber or specially designed triangular gum stimulator is better than a toothpick for massaging the gums, says Dr. Cali. It also cleans the surfaces between the teeth. Place the rubber point so it rests between two teeth. Point the tip in the direction of the biting surface until the stimulator is at a 45-degree angle to the gumline. Apply a circular motion for 10 seconds, then move on to the next tooth.
Eat a raw vegetable a day. It will keep gingivitis away, says Dr. Cali. Hard and fibrous foods clean and stimulate teeth and gums.
Try the baking soda and water solution. Take plain baking soda, mix it with a little bit of water, and apply it with your fingers along the gumline in a small section of your mouth. Then brush. You'll clean, polish, neutralize acidic bacterial wastes, and deodorize, all in one swoop, says Dr. Cali.
Say aloe to your druggist. Some people brush their gums with aloe gel, says Eric Shapira, D.D.S., a dentist in private practice in El Granada, California, and assistant clinical professor at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. "It's a healing agent and it will reduce some of the plaque in your mouth," he says.
PANEL OF ADVISERS
Vincent Cali, D.D.S., is a New York City dentist and author of The New, Lower-Cost Way to End Gum Trouble without Surgery. He also has a postgraduate degree in clinical nutrition from the Fordham Page Institute at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.
Roger P. Levin, D.D.S., is president of the Baltimore Academy of General Dentistry and a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland in Baltimore.
Robert Schallhorn, D.D.S., has a private practice in Aurora, Colorado, and is past president of the American Academy of Periodontology.
Eric Shapiro, D.D.S., is in private practice in El Granada, California. He is an assistant clinical professor and lecturer at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry in San Francisco, California, and has a master's degree in science and biochemistry.
Richard Shepard, D.D.S., is a retired dentist in Durango, Colorado. He edits the newsletter of the Holistic Dental Association.
