“What are the treatment options for gingivitis?”
I'm 37 years old and my dentist diagnosed me with gingivitis. He only recommended lifestyle changes for treatment. Are there other options?
10 Answers
You will need a regular cleaning known as prophylaxis and you should continue to brush twice per day with flossing once at night. That is the treatment for your condition [cid:image001.png@01DA9236.181B69F0]
Brush better, use of antimicrobial mouthwashes. Another option would be to do a laser biofilm reduction.
Lifestyle changes can be pretty vague for a patient to completely understand. The number 1 thing I advocate is to make sure you are brushing on the gum line. Most of us, myself included, tend to brush the teeth and forget that the bacteria sit inside the pocket around the tooth, right in the gum line. At first, you may encounter some bleeding, but that's okay! That just means there is bacteria causing inflammation. Don't let the blood deter you, keep brushing and, in about 2 weeks, you will notice a dramatic decrease in bleeding and inflammation. Additionally, electric toothbrushes are great because they have a 2-minute timer; the average person brushes less than 30 seconds! With these changes, you will definitely see improvement.
Vandeep Bagga, DDS, MS
Vandeep Bagga, DDS, MS
The dental office needs to clear up the gum disease and teach you how to properly clean your gums so gingivitis doesn’t recur. Treatment is educational in nature so there isn’t a return of the problem.
A specialized cleaning, Listerine Antiseptic and an electric toothpaste can help gum health in 7-10 days!
Gingivitis is the early sign of Periodontal disease. Should you not stop the disease, it might progress to Periodontal disease. This is the easiest level to manage and maintain by seeing your dentist every 3 months for periodontal maintenance , proper brushing and flossing. I also highly recommend rinsing your mouth with warm normal saline. Good Luck.
You might try going every 3 months for your cleanings instead of every 6 months.
The good news is, the initial stages of gingivitis, or bleeding gums, is completely reversible with better oral hygiene habits and more consistent appointments for professional cleaning. Unfortunately, if home care does not improve, more intense cleanings are necessary which still can reverse the effects of gingivitis. If left untreated, bleeding gums will affect the bone and this is not reversible and requires a specialists treatment.
Learn to brush and floss properly. See a periodontist for scaling or deep cleaning right now.
If you have been diagnosed with Gingivitis, your best option is to visit a periodontist. The periodontist will confirm that diagnosis or perhaps even diagnose Periodontitis, which is more severe. The periodontist is best equipped to treat this problem. One thing is certain: just "lifestyle" changes will not do anything.
