Gingivitis( from Latin gingiva - gum) is an inflammatory disease of gum tissues, accompanied, as a rule, by constant bad breath, as well as soreness and bleeding gums. This is a very common disease, which affects about 50% of patients visiting the clinic.
The gingivitis is divided according to the degree of spreading to the local one - a lesion of one papilla of the gum or part of it that is between the two teeth( sometimes a separate term for papillitis is used for this pathology), and widespread - affecting the majority of the gum, up to the entire jaw or half.
In this article we will consider what is gingivitis, its symptoms and detailed photos, as well as modern methods of treatment and prevention.
Reasons for
Why does gingivitis occur, and what is it? It is worth noting that the causes of gingivitis can be very different, including internal and external factors affecting the development of the disease.
Internal factors include:
- teething wisdom;
- lack of vitamins and trace elements;
- metabolic disorders;
- weakened immunity;
- diabetes;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- , stresses and mental disorders, etc.
External factors include:
- trauma and mucosal burns;
- seals, braces, veneers that have been improperly installed and injure the tissues of the oral cavity;
- smoking;
- mouth breathing, which is the result of chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, polyps in the nose or just a bad habit;
- inadequate oral hygiene( the most common cause of gingivitis in adults, leading to accumulation of plaque, and hence microorganisms that release toxins and contribute to the onset of inflammation);
- is an infectious process in the oral cavity.
The main cause of gingivitis lies in unscrupulous dental care, which can lead to the formation of dental plaques( as evidenced by gingivitis in the photo in its classic manifestation).
In the diagnosis of gingivitis, a doctor needs to be very careful - perhaps it is a symptom of some other disease - for example, pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, infectious and viral diseases, heart and vascular disease, liver, blood-forming organs, hormonal changes.
Classification of
The symptomatology of this disease in children and adults is determined by the form in which it occurs. There are several forms of gingivitis, which require slightly different approaches to treatment:
- Ulcerative( necrotic) gingivitis - inflammation of the gums with the predominance of the process of pathological changes in periodontal tissues. In addition to the classic symptoms for ulcerative gingivitis is characterized by an increase in body temperature, headaches, enlarged lymph nodes. Delayed treatment of ulcerative gingivitis is fraught with the spread of necrotic processes on the mucous membrane of the cheeks and tonsils. In some cases, ulcerative gingivitis can also cause one of the earliest signs of a blood disease.
- Gingivitis catarrhal chronic .The disease often occurs without pronounced subjective sensations, but sometimes patients complain of bleeding gums when brushing their teeth or eating solid foods. At inspection find out a hyperemia and an edema of an interdental papillae and a gingival edge losing its natural pattern( felonhood disappears).Instrumental examination reveals bleeding gums, plentiful soft dental plaque and foci of subgingival calculus, absence of pathological dentogingival pockets.
- Hypertrophic gingivitis .This kind of gingivitis is accompanied by very severe gum pain, itchy papillae, considerable bleeding, significant swelling and an increase in the volume of the gums that can partially cover the dental crowns from the outside. The gums with this kind of gingivitis do not become loose - it is hard, and underneath it there is a tartar, which provokes further inflammation and development of gingivitis. Hypertrophic gingivitis can cause instability of the dentition and tooth movements.
- Atrophic gingivitis may be the result of improper treatment of acute gingivitis. It is characterized by a minimal presence of inflammatory phenomena and a rapidly emerging atrophic process with a gradual exposure of the neck of the tooth. It is more common in children.
Gingivitis is acute, chronic and exacerbated.
- Acute form of is characterized by severe clinical symptoms, a sharp deterioration in the patient's well-being and rapid treatment of his medical care.
- The chronic form of is characterized by a dull, prolonged course, when there is no abrupt disturbance of the digestive, verbal and other functions of the mouth.
- The acute form of the chronic course of the is called when the sluggish course of the disease worsens with the appearance of all the classic signs of acute gingivitis.
Depending on the course of the disease, appropriate treatment is carried out, which can consist of both professional cleaning of the oral cavity and in the surgical method of treatment.
Symptoms of gingivitis
When gingivitis occurs in adults, the main symptoms are reddening of the gums, swelling, pain of varying intensity, increased sensitivity and irritability of the mucosa, changes in gingival contours.
When the inflammation develops, the gum furrow shifts inwards, forming a gingival pocket. This increases the sensitivity of the gums, there is soreness. The gums look irritated, the edge of it is red. After the appearance of bleeding, the patient becomes difficult to chew food and swallow it.
Unpleasant odor from the mouth is another frequent companion of gingivitis, which sometimes acts as the cause of a primary call to a doctor. Also, a very common complaint is the distortion of taste, the appearance of a metallic, brackish aftertaste.
For ulcerative necrotic form of , gingivitis is characterized by the following symptoms:
- the mucosa is covered with ulcers;
- later appear areas of necrosis;
- the mucosa is markedly painful;
- appears bad breath;
- the general condition worsens;
- patients feel weakness, loss of strength;
- in some cases recorded a rise in body temperature( it can reach 39 degrees);
- lymph nodes are enlarged.
A few words should be said about the symptoms of the more rare forms of gingivitis. So the formation of small bubbles on the gums, which interfere with food, is characteristic of bullous gingivitis. Opening of the interdental spaces, denudation of the neck of the tooth occurs with atrophic gingivitis. At the same time, painful sensations and bleeding may not be observed.
It should be noted that gingivitis can be not only an independent disease, but a symptom of deeper tissue damage, for example, periodontitis or periodontitis. In this case, gingivitis will only occur with complete cure of all peri-toothed tissues.
Gingivitis: photo
How does giggitis look like in adults and children, we offer detailed photos that show the characteristic symptoms of the disease.
Diagnosis
Setting a correct diagnosis is very important. Under the symptoms of gingivitis, serious diseases of the oral cavity can disappear( for example, periodontitis, periodontitis).The diagnosis is made by the doctor-periodontist, taking into account the patient's complaints, the results of the examination, the laboratory tests and functional tests.
Gingivitis in children, adults differs from other diseases in that the inflammation affects only the gum. Bone tissue, muscle ligaments do not change.
How to treat gingivitis
When gingivitis occurs, treatment involves several stages and is performed at the dentist. To cure gingivitis, you must remember the three main rules for its treatment:
- The comprehensive approach of the .When treating any form of the disease, it is necessary to use both local and general therapy. It is necessary to treat not only the symptoms, but also to eliminate the causes of the disease.
- Individual approach to .Correctly selected treatment must necessarily take into account all the accompanying factors of the disease, the health and immune system of the patient.
- Systematicity of .If the disease has passed into a chronic form, then the treatment needs to be systematized in order to bring it into a stable remission.
Therapy is somewhat different depending on the form of the disease, but the treatment of any gingivitis should begin with the removal of foci of infection in the oral cavity( caries treatment) and the removal of hard dental deposits. These procedures can be performed only by the dentist, do not try to remove the tartar at home by any popular methods. It can only injure inflamed gums and aggravate the pathological process.
Gingivitis often indicates a decrease in the defenses of the body. Therefore, in addition to eliminating the inflammatory process, treatment should also be aimed at increasing the overall protective functions of the body. In this case, the appointment of immunocorrectors is justified. Preparations of this group activate the protective forces of the oral mucosa.
Prognosis for gingivitis is favorable, but in the absence of treatment, the process can go into a deep form - develop periodontal disease, in which tooth loss can occur.
Prevention
For effective prevention of gingivitis, you should regularly brush your teeth in the morning( after breakfast) and in the evening( before going to bed).The most effective toothbrushes are medium hardness, since soft teeth do not clean teeth properly, and hard ones can injure the gum. It is desirable after each meal to use dental floss to remove food debris from the interdental spaces or carefully rinse the oral cavity with water.
Timely( at least every 6 months) a visit to the dentist will minimize the risk of gingivitis. With a tendency to form a tartar, a doctor regularly performs full cleaning of teeth from plaque.