Learn how to get rid of gingivitis using simple and effective steps.

Steven had recently started paying visits to his dentist and found out that he has gingivitis, which simply means bleeding gums due to inflammation.

Upon enquiring, his dentist said that it is generalized or present all over his mouth and is mostly because of the tartar deposits and poor oral hygiene.

Steven decided to follow whatever his dentist has asked him to do to get rid of bleeding gums once and for all. But to his surprise, it has already been more than a week and the bleeding is still persistent, although just a teensy bit less.

Wondering about how long it takes to get rid of gingivitis?

Well he contacted his dentist again

The dentist told him that it can usually take between 10 days to 2 weeks, but in his case it might take a bit longer as he is a smoker and it won’t completely go away till he stops smoking.

Now I am sure there are many questions regarding gingivitis popping up in your head right now, which is why I have written this article!

So go ahead and keep on reading…

Table of Contents

Can Gingivitis Go Away On Its Own?

Gingivitis being the first stage of extensive gum disease can occur due to many reasons. Until the cause of the disease is being taken care of, it will not go away.

The most common cause of gum disease is the accumulation of plaque and calculus, but usually getting a deep scaling/cleaning done should make the gingivitis go away within two weeks.

It might take longer for some people as everyone’s body acts differently.

However, there are instances when gingivitis occurs due to reasons other than calculus or tartar. One of these reasons is smoking.

Smoking weakens the body’s immune system and makes it more prone to diseases including gum disease. The accumulation of plaque increases two fold for the same reason and the gums become swollen.

Even if the smoker is getting regular scaling done, the chances of this treatment curing gingivitis is considerably low.

Another reason which is mostly present in women is hormonal imbalance. A lot of women take contraceptives which not only play with your hormones but also cause gingivitis.

In pregnancy, gingivitis is pretty common and almost every woman has the problem of bleeding gums, at least in the first trimester.

So if you are on contraceptives and your dentist has concluded that the reason behind your swollen and bleeding gums is OCPs, consult your gynecologist and take their advice on changing your medicine or to choose another contraceptive method.

As far as pregnancy is concerned, make sure that you have at least had dental cleaning done twice during this period so that gum disease that is purely due to hormonal reasons does not progress to the more serious form known as periodontitis.

How To Reverse The Effects Of Gingivitis?

The major problem associated with gingivitis is swollen and bleeding gums. If you have been diagnosed with gingivitis by your dentist, this part will just be a revision of things your dentist must have already told you.

Conversely, if you have bleeding gums and are suspecting gingivitis, let’s go ahead and find out how the effects of gingivitis can be reversed!

Get Regular Dental Cleaning Done

Before trying anything else, get regular scaling done every 6-12 months.

This is the most crucial step towards curing gingivitis. Your dentist will make sure the scaler tip goes deep in your gums and take all the plaque and tartar out.

If this part is not done everything else will go in vain.

So first and foremost, get scaling done!

Brush And Floss Regularly

Brushing twice a day and flossing every night will literally do wonders to your gum health. All you have to do is choose a soft bristled toothbrush and learn the correct brushing technique.

For flossing you can choose either a string floss or water flosser, whatever suits you.

Additionally, don’t forget to use the tongue cleaner on the top of your toothbrush head to clean your tongue of all the plaque creating bacteria.

Go For An Antibacterial Mouthwash

I am sure if you have already visited your dentist to get dental cleaning done for gingivitis, they would have recommended you an antibacterial mouth wash.

But if not please talk to your dentist and ask them to recommend you a suitable brand. Use it for no more than 2 weeks.

Shift to your regular mouthwash after that!

Stop Smoking

If smoking wasn’t already bad for your overall health giving you all kinds of cancer and what not, it’s a disaster for your gums!

Please start with lowering down the number of cigarettes and eventually you should be able to come off them easily.

Unless you actually like gum disease and and all sorts of dental issues in which case, carry on.

Incorporate A Healthy Lifestyle

We all know what a big part diet and fitness plays in our lives. If you are eating healthy, everything starts falling in to place one by one.

Same goes for bleeding gums and gingivitis. According to a study, incorporating vitamins A and C, Calcium and Magnesium can considerably improve the state of your gums. So eat more fruits and vegetables and experience the change for yourself!

Along with that, exercise more to de-stress yourself. That’s because stress makes your immune system weak which makes it harder for your body to fight off infections.

Meditate, walk, gym, swim, whatever! Just chill!

Don’t Share To Care!

We all know sharing is caring but not when you and your partner are sharing toothbrushes.

If you do, please stop because gum disease is contagious. Bacteria can easily travel from one mouth to another.

And if you have already been diagnosed with gingivitis, it shouldn’t only be your toothbrush that you should stop sharing but also utensils such as spoons and glasses.

How To Avoid Gingivitis From Occurring Again?

Now that you know what gingivitis is and have learnt about the ways to cure it, I am sure you are wondering if there are any extra measures you need to take in order to avoid it from happening again.

And the answer is…

There is Nothing Extra that needs to be done in order to not let it from happening again. All you have to do is keep doing what is mentioned above and gingivitis will not come back.

However, if you are a woman who is taking oral contraceptives or is pregnant, there might be instances when you feel like gingivitis keeps coming back and forth despite being cautious.

My advice would be that you become vehement towards your oral hygiene routine and most importantly, watch your diet.

Make sure you are giving your body all the anti-inflammatory nutrients in order to stay put while the hormonal changes take place.

Should I Use Toothpaste That Stops Bleeding Gums?

There are tons of toothpastes out there claiming to stop bleeding gums. But only a few of them are good for your dental health.

Whenever you are thinking of buying a specialized toothpaste, consult your dentist. Don’t just go with what TV ads are asking you to buy and do your research first.

Some of these toothpastes may contain steroids or other ingredients that may be harmful in the long run.

Always take your dentist’s advice before committing to a product.

What Home Treatments Can I Try For Gingivitis?

Even though there is absolutely nothing that can replace the expertise of a dentist to treat gingivitis, some home remedies do seem to work well:

Salt water rinses – now this is an amazing hack that all dentists swear by. If You have any kind of swelling, warm saline rinses are the way to go! Do these whenever you feel like your gums are bleeding a little bit and it’ll help wash all the bacteria away while dealing with the swollen gums.
Eating dairy products – according to a study in the journal of periodontology in 2008, people who regularly ate dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt had less gum disease. So make dairy your best friend unless of course, you are lactose intolerant!
Rinse your mouth with hydrogen peroxide – hydrogen peroxide is a powerful disinfectant which is also proven to be a wonderful anti-inflammatory.

According to a study conducted on 99 people with gingivitis, the group that was asked to rinse their mouths with hydrogen peroxide had considerably less swelling of the gums than those who didn’t.

Try rinsing your mouth with some hydrogen peroxide to keep all the plaque producing bacteria away.

Make sure not to swallow!

Summary

Gingivitis is one of the most common dental problems faced by almost every other person.

Not a very big deal if you experience bleeding gums here and there but it surely becomes one when you ignore it.

80% of the time gingivitis is a result of poor oral hygiene and accumulation of plaque and tartar which causes swelling of the gums, hence the bleeding.

But in some instances, it may be a result of certain habits like smoking, diseases like diabetes and medicines like hormonal contraceptives.

In all these situations the most important thing to do is maintain pristine oral hygiene. Make it a norm to brush and floss regularly and get regular dental cleaning done.

Don’t forget to eat healthy and stay fit which will keep your stress levels at bay and most importantly…

If you are a smoker, please stop!

When it comes to toothpastes that claim to help with gingivitis don’t just go with what you see on TV. Talk to your dentist first and then make the purchase.

You can also try some home remedies to treat gingivitis. warm saline solution and hydrogen peroxide rinses have been proven to help with gum issues.

Take your gum health seriously and don’t let the problem get worse.

Periodontitis is waiting around the corner to pounce if your not paying attention!