Common Ilnness - Gingivitis
What is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis is an inflammatory condition of the gums that if left unchecked, can lead to the loss of teeth and thousands of dollars of dental bills. The gums will feel irritated and swollen due to a build up of dental plaque in the mouth and specifically around the gum lining. Gingivitis can be so debilitating as plaque causes the gums to pull away from the teeth. This frees up room for yet more plaque to accumulate. It destroys the tissue that supports the teeth, the gums and the tooth sockets.
Who does Gingivitis effect?
Gingivitis affects everyone, but usually shows up later in life. Women are particularly prone to gingivitis, as hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause can trigger the condition.
What are the symptoms of Gingivitis?
The tell-tale sign that someone is being affected by gingivitis is bleeding gums. Your gums will progressively become red, soft, shiny and swollen as the infection grows. Gums will feel tender and sore, and you will experience pain and bleeding while brushing your teeth. Gingivitis will eventually lead to pain while chewing, eating and drinking as your teeth become brittle, and your gums sensitive.
How can Gingivitis be treated?
Gingivitis should be prevented with the use of two main methods - Dental hygiene, and diet.
Dental Hygiene: Regular teeth cleaning together with professional plaque removal are essential. X-rays are usually taken to make sure the disease is not affecting the bones. Changing your toothbrush every three months is also important as worn brushes do not remove plaque well.
Diet: Avoid sugar and all refined carbohydrates. Sugar is known to contribute to gingivitis while weakening the immune system by decreasing white blood cell function. White blood cells are part of your body's 'military' that defends against foreign substances.
Keep your diet balanced to include fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrains and quality protein such as fish, lean chicken or beans everyday. Eat food t hat has a cool, watery base such as purslane, mung beans, lotus, lettuce and mango.
Supplements: Make sure you take the recommended daily amount of vitamin C and D. 500 mg of vitamin C and 400 - 1,000 IU of vitamin D can help adults to ease the symptoms of gingivitis.
Traditional Chinese Medicine: Herbs- To treat gingivitis effectively, a Traditional Chinese medicine can be helpful. If a patient with gingivitis also has an elevated temperature, bad breath, severy infected gums and is thirsy, the pathogen is excessive heat. Treatment for this type of gingivitis will focus on clearing the heat toxin from the body. Consult with your local Herbalist for recipes and ingredients.
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