Gum Enlargement Therapy

What are swollen gums?

Healthy gums are very important to oral health. The gums cover the jawbones and are made of thick, fibrous, pink tissue filled with blood. When gums get swollen, they protrude and bulge out. Swelling occurs where the tooth meet with the gums. Sometimes swelling may hide parts of the teeth. They become red when swollen. Also called gingival swelling, they are usually painful, irritative and sensitive. When brushing or flossing, they might bleed.
What causes swollen gums?

gum swelling

Swollen gums are caused by many reasons like:

Gingivitis – It is caused by plaque building up in the gumline and teeth
Pregnancy – As blood flow increases during pregnancy, gingivitis occurs due to some hormonal changes in the body and the inability of the body to fight off the bacteria which causes gum infection.
Malnutrition – Deficiency of vitamin B and C causes gum swelling.
Infection – Infections caused by fungi and virus can cause swollen gums. Thrush and Herpes cause gum swelling too.

The therapy:

If there is mild gingival enlargement, then the doctor may prescribe an improvement in oral hygiene. Also professional cleaning of the teeth can lead to gingival control. Also if plaque is controlled, it prevents and reduces gingival enlargement. Doctor might ask to remove the plaque through thorough tooth brushing and flossing. Rinse your mouth with salt water to get rid of the bacteria.
Drink lots of water which produces saliva and kills bacteria in the mouth. Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
Usage of a hot and cold compress to get rid of the gum pain and the swelling might be helpful.
Usage of antiseptic mouthwashes like chrorhexidine may be given to the patient.
There are ultrasonic treatments for swollen gums.
Antibiotics might be given to reduce the oral bacterial load. For example: erythromycin.

Authored By Dr.C.M.Bejoy Mony, M.D.S.