7 Home Remedies to Treat Gum Infection
Any pain can be annoying and irritating. The workload of your teeth and gums are more than most of the other organs. With regular usage, aging, and dental trauma, the teeth and gums might start to lose its vitality. Although the dentist can guide you in treating gum diseases, you can try some home remedies too.
The Structure of Your Teeth
A tooth is made up of enamel, dentine, pulp, and cementum. The exposed portion of the tooth is what you see and is known as the dental crown. The tooth has a substantial part concealed by the jaws. The part below the dental crown is called the root.
The center of the tooth houses the pulp cavity and consists of delicate blood vessels and nerves. To counter the continuous impact of grinding and to alleviate the force on the jaws, the tooth’s cementum or surface area is connected by fibrous tissues called the periodontal ligament.
Enamel covers the outer surface or crown and is white. The soft tissues covering the alveolar bone houses the tooth’s root and is commonly known as gum.
What Causes Gum Infection?
Periodontal infection is an infection of the gums and can be attributed to several factors. Poor oral health is one of the major reasons. Poor brushing allows the deposition of tartar on the teeth, which serves as a thriving ground of bacteria.
Smoking can increase the chances of gum infection. Hormonal imbalance, diabetes, dry mouth, and certain genetic susceptibility can also increase gum infection chances.
Bleeding, coupled with inflammation, is the primary symptom of gum infection. Red gums and persistent bad breath imply gum infection. A loose and sensitive tooth can also be the symptom of weakened teeth roots.
Although the visible symptoms might be enough for the dentist to diagnose with periodontal disease, they might go with dental x-rays or for a comprehensive dental examination.
Home Remedies to Treat Gum Infection
The goal of treatment is to curb the spread of infection. Depending on the level of infection and your oral structure, the extent and type of treatment may vary. If not treated timely, gingivitis, which is the primary stage of gum infection, might lose teeth. To prevent gum diseases, you can try some home remedies.
#1: Saltwater Rinse
Salt is known to be a natural disinfectant. Rinsing with salt water can reduce inflammation and relieve the pain. Easy to apply and affordable, the saltwater rinse can be a temporary relief, and you can use lukewarm trice a day.
#2: Turmeric Gel
Turmeric has anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. A recent study has revealed that turmeric can be effective in preventing plaque and gingivitis. You can apply a paste of turmeric and apply to the gums. You should wait for ten minutes before washing it off.
#3: Oil Pulling
This is an ancient method and known to reduce oral infection. Swirling oil around the mouth for thirty minutes may reduce the thrive of bacteria inside the mouth. You can put two teaspoons of coconut or almond oil in your mouth and swirl for thirty minutes before spitting out.
#4: Cold Compress
Gum infections are accompanied by persistent pain and inflammation. Applying a cold compress can help to reduce the swelling and reduce the sensation of pain.
#5: Clove Oil
Since ancient times clove is known to be a remedy to dental pains. Clove oil can be applied in concentrated or diluted form on the gums. Clove has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. You can also get rid of the bad breath with clove oil.
#6: Hydrogen Peroxide
Apart from using hydrogen peroxide to whiten your teeth, you can use a mild hydrogen peroxide solution to prevent gum disease. Swishing the solution of equal parts of 3% hydrogen peroxide with water around your mouth and spitting can reduce plaque and bleeding of gums.
#7: Baking Soda
An affordable yet effective way of treating gum infection is swishing a solution of baking soda in water with a pinch of salt. Using this solution thrice a day can reduce plaque and gum infection.
You can always visit the dentist, and home remedies might not always be successful but can reduce gum infection chances. Dentists at Cupertino Family Dental can treat gum infection with state-of-art equipment and experienced dentists.