Gingivitis / Inflammation of the Gums / Bleeding Gums

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the simplest dental disease to prevent and treat. Simply put, Gingivitis is your body’s way of fighting the irritation created by the bacteria that are living the good life because nothing is disturbing them. Basically it is a War between your body and the bacteria.

Bacteria is something we all have, no matter who you are. If you are a human, you have it. They love to find a cozy place, and then start building their empires. That’s when our body starts noticing them. There are a lot of waste products that come out from their housing units, and are extremely irritating to the body.

The best place for bacteria to settle is underneath your gums. It is a place where they are least likely to be disturbed. Imagine a battle field. Your castle is surrounded by invaders who have built their camps right outside your doors. They are smart, and set up their tents in places where your weapons will be less likely to get them. In the process, they destroy and pollute the land that surrounds your castle. As the King or Queen, you must defend your property. You can’t sit back and expect the natural disasters to take care of the enemy for you. So you have to take matters into your own hands. It is your job to destroy as many camping sites as you can. But don’t worry, you have plenty of weapons that can help you do the job right. We’ll talk about them later.

Even though the defense against bacterial invaders sounds simple, it’s not. Their numbers are huge and they are extremely small. Your castle exists in a complete darkness, and you can’t see your enemy. How do you know when you must protect your land?

Inflammation

The first line of defense against the irritation is Inflammation. The blood vessels around the irritated area become dilated, to provide an easier delivery of your body’s defense fighters, AKA – WBC or White Blood Cells. But unfortunately, White Blood Cells are unable to win the war. They are way outnumbered by the enemy Bacteria and desperately need help. As the Master of the castle, it is your job to help your fighters win against the army of bacterial invaders. Imagine that you are a Master who is able to control and manipulate such destructive weapons like a Toothbrush, Floss, Oral Irrigator, and many more, so together, your fight will be a victorious one.

When you brush your teeth, the bristles of the toothbrush remove the Plaque and disrupt the bacterial formations. Plaque Plaque is a sticky layer that builds up on your teeth. It consists of bacteria, dead skin cells and partially digested food debris. It is soft in nature and easily removed by brushing, flossing or irrigation.
So, the best way to avoid having bleeding gums disease – AKA – Gingivitis, is to make sure to remove and disrupt as much bacteria and plaque as possible. Try to brush at least two times a day. Floss or use the oral irrigator once a day to get the bacteria in the areas where a toothbrush cannot reach. It usually takes bacteria 24 hours to settle down again after being disrupted. That’s why it is recommended to floss at least once every 24 hours.

And most importantly, the best way to resolve bleeding gums, if thorough and consistent home care does not solve the problem, is to see your Dental Hygienist, so that the areas that you cannot reach are cleaned out, and the gums are allowed to heal. Think of the dental hygienist as a Magician who can help you start from scratch. It’s a good idea to see you Dental Hygienist on a regular basis in order to prevent Gingivitis from starting in the first place. Regular maintenance interval depends on your genetics and your body’s reaction to irritation. Most people need to have their teeth cleaned every 3 months. It helps a professional to keep an eye on you, and control the problem before it truly becomes a problem. It is much cheaper to maintain than to fix something. Those of you who know cars would agree with me, because it’s much cheaper to change the oil regularly than to replace or repair the engine.

Another reason for bleeding gums is Periodontal Disease, and I will talk about that in my next post. I do hope that none of you allow your Gingivitis to turn into Periodontal Disease, because it is much more difficult to treat and maintain, and because the damage caused by chronic inflammation is not reversible.