How To Get Rid Of Gum Disease

Gum disease, also referred to as gingivitis, is an infection in your gums that when left untreated can eventually develop into a much more serious health issue, periodontitis. Poor dental hygiene can even encourage the development of other severe health conditions that don’t necessarily occur in your mouth, such as osteoporosis!

If you are dealing with gum issues or facing gum disease, this is definitely something that you want to treat and get rid of as soon as possible. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to tackle gum disease. Read on to learn some of the best techniques you can try in formal settings or at home to get rid of gum disease.

At its core, proper dental care means brushing your teeth twice a day. Two times each day is actually just the minimum you should be brushing and you should do this more frequently throughout the day for greater protection. Dentists recommend brushing after each meal.

Brushing at least twice a day is the first line of defense from oral hygiene issues such as gum disease. If you are not meeting this minimum, you are at risk of making your gum disease much worse in a very short period of time.

As we mentioned earlier, gum disease is often characterized by swollen and irritated gums. Salt water can help soothe the pain you are feeling in your gums from the swelling by reducing some of the inflammation. Salt is also able to work as a natural disinfectant because it can kill some types of bacteria. Reducing bacteria in your mouth is an important part of getting rid of gum disease.

Rinsing with salt water can also:

• Help get rid of bad breath

• Loosen particles of food from your teeth

To help get rid of gum disease, try making a rinse with salt and water by mixing a teaspoon of salt into a glass of water. Swish the water mixture in your mouth and spit it out two or three times a day. This can help get rid of gum disease.

Flossing your teeth is another essential part of proper dental hygiene and is something that we should all be doing at least once per day. Flossing your teeth helps keep your gums healthy because it removes food particles from deep between each of your teeth that you can’t reach without a toothbrush.

If you never floss, this is a practice of poor dental hygiene and most likely played a part in your contraction of gum disease. So, of course, flossing is one of the number one practices you should be doing to get rid of gum disease and prevent it from coming back!

The inside of the aloe vera plant is a gel-like substance that historically has been used to treat many different things, such as rashes and cuts. Similarly, rubbing aloe vera on your gums can help soothe them and might heal mouth sores related to your gum disease. Aloe vera on your gums can help:

• Kill bacteria

• Freshen breath

• Soothe inflammation

The best way to use aloe vera on your gums to get rid of gum disease is by taking the gel directly from the plant leaf and rubbing it onto your gums. Leave the gel on for a half hour each time you use it. Make sure to rinse it out with water!

Another at home remedy for getting rid of gum disease is rinsing your mouth with oil. For this method, you will swirl the oil around in your mouth for up to fifteen minutes. The thought is that the oil pulls the toxins from your gums.

You should not use just any oils when trying this method for removing gum disease. What oils work best?

• Sesame Oil

• Coconut Oil

• Olive Oil

It is also best to use organic oils if possible because they won’t have the pesticides you want to avoid using as a mouth rinse.

After swishing the oil around in your mouth, rinse with water. Repeat the process once a day for a month.

Using an antiseptic

mouthwash can help reduce infection and get rid of gum disease. You can also make your own mouthwash right at home by using natural ingredients. These varieties of mouthwashes can be very effective due to the powerful qualities of the natural ingredients.

Here are some of the most common ways to make a natural mouthwash:

Lemongrass essential oil has antibacterial properties , meaning it can help with wounds and infections. A mixture made up of a few drops of lemongrass essential oil dissolved in water can be used as a mouth rinse two to three times a day.

Tea tree oil can also be used as a homemade mouthwash by mixing three drops in a cup of water. It can also be added to toothpaste when you are brushing. Tea tree oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, but it shouldn’t be swallowed. Make sure you rinse after using!

While a professional will most likely catch gum disease in its very early stages, if you are not receiving regular dental checkups, you might not realize it's happening until you start noticing some changes in your mouth. There are a few warning signs that you might experience as you begin to deal with gum disease. Here are some of the most common indications of an infection in your gums:

• Bleeding: If you notice that your gums are bleeding when you eat, brush, or floss, this could be a sign that you have gum disease.

• Swollen and Tender: If your gums are bleeding, chances are they are swollen and tender as well. This alone is a sign that something is not right with your gums.

• Receding Gums: With this symptom, less of your gum is showing, and you can see more of your teeth.

• Sores or Pus: Having sores or visible pus on your gums or between your teeth is a warning sign that something is going on, and you might have gum disease.

• Tooth Pain: If you have pain in your teeth or if your teeth feel overly sensitive to hot or cold foods, this could be an indication that you have gum disease.

You do not necessarily have to be experiencing stages of gum disease. Regularly scheduled dentist appointments are the best way to know whether or not you are at risk of developing gum disease.

Gum disease might just start off as an annoyance, but it can easily develop into a serious health concern. The techniques used as a part of a basic dental hygiene routine can help prevent and get rid of gum disease when it is a mild case. However, more severe cases need special attention. Try using these methods to stop the progression of gum disease and be rid of it once and for all!

If you have severe pain in your teeth, consistently bleeding gums, or see that your gums are extremely swollen, you should see a dentist to get rid of the gum disease before it gets worse. A professional opinion and treatment recommendations will be the best way to solve your gum disease issue.

While all of the above methods are sound dental care advice, the best approach is to keep up with preventive dental care in Ellicott City by setting an appointment here or calling us at 410-465-3021