What is gingivitis
The gums are a type of tissue surrounding the neck of the teeth
and covering the alveolar bone of both maxillaries- the teeth being house
in
the sockets of the latter. Good dentition is fundamented upon healthy gums,
since these and other elements are essential for tooth retention.
Pink gums are usually healthy gums. But if they show a more
reddish color or are swollen, tender or bleeding, clear indications for an
incipient gingivitis(inflammation of the gums) are given. Failure to treat
gingivitis can lead to more serious oral and dental problems,
even resulting in tooth loss
Dental plaque is the principal cause of gum disease. dental
(or bacterial) plaque cinsist of a non-calcified accumaltion of bacteria immersed
withen gelatinous matrix that firmly adheres to the teeth.
Id dental plaque is not eliminated by thorough tooth brushing
after each meal, then its constant activity tends to inflame the gums, which
lose their pink color, become irritated and bleed easily (gingivitis.) Gum
disease is usually not painful. Reddening and bleeding are the
main manifestations that help to identify the problem.
Gingivitis can evolve towards more serious conditions
If gingivitis is not dealt with on time,
it can give rise to periodontitis (also called pyorrhea). The continous activity
of bacterial plaque
worsens the condition of gums, resulting in progessive destruction of the
gum-tooth junction and damaging the structure of the
alveolar bone. This process can ultimately expose the tooth, which begins
to show mobility and can even be lost.
Who is affected
Gum deseases are among the most common
human deseases. Gingivitis affects 75% of young individuals and almost half
of all adults
have periodontitis.
In general, gingivitis and pyorrhea are
always related to poor oral hygiene. Nevertheless, There may be a genetic
predisposition
or other factors (pregnancy, smoking,diabetes,etc) that determine the risk
of developing periodontal problems.
Treat the first symptons