Gingivitis is essentially the earliest stage of gum disease. Some of the earliest symptoms include red, swollen gums or gums that bleed easily during regular brushing and flossing. Plaque and tartar buildup at the gum line can cause a mild infection of the gums. If gingivitis isn’t dealt with early on, then you risk the chance of it developing into periodontitis.
Fortunately, a lot of cases of gingivitis can be reversed through improvements in your daily oral hygiene regimen as well as visiting your dentist for your regular cleaning and checkup.
Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and abrasive toothpaste with fluoride twice per day. Focus your brushing on one tooth at a time and be sure to brush all the exposed faces. Make sure to brush near the gum line to remove food particles.
While brushing reduces plaque on the exposed surface of your teeth, flossing twice per day is also absolutely essential to reversing gingivitis. You want to focus on flossing up, along and into the gum line around each tooth. A single piece of floss about 18 inches long should be enough for your entire mouth. Try using waxed floss if you have trouble getting the floss into tight spaces between your teeth.
Make sure to floss between the gums and the tooth in a U-shape. Larger teeth, like molars, might require two or three passes on both the front and back to thoroughly remove food particles and plaque.
Tartar buildup can easily turn into more serious periodontitis. Only your dentist can completely remove tartar buildup on your teeth, so be sure to stick to your six month dental checkups.
If you are concerned that you might have developed gingivitis, feel free to call us at 208-733-0494 to schedule an appointment.
