Gum disease is an infection usually caused by a bacteria plaque or layer of microorganisms that accumulate at the gum line due to a lack of daily oral hygiene. It is also known as periodontal disease. According to research, 80% of Americans are usually affected by gum disease characterized by sores and swelling of gums. If you fail to take action on the gums once they are infected, you may get periodontal sockets—a condition that separates teeth from the gum. Luckily, there are various ways to cure your gum disease with or without a dentist.
Are you looking for ways to get rid of gum disease without visiting a dentist? You are lucky. As stated above, there are so many ways through which you can cure periodontal disease without professional intervention. Fortunately, many of these methods can be done from home. This tutorial will cover the most effective ways of curing gum disease without a dentist. We will unravel everything from natural remedies to supplements to ensure that your teeth are in good condition. Kindly come with us!
What Is Gum Disease?
Before we look at the natural remedies for curing gum disease without a dentist, let us first understand what gum disease is. Once your gum has been infected, it appears red, swollen and develops sores that sometimes may result to bleeding. There are two forms of gum diseases that may affect your gum, which includes;
1. Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the primary stage of gum disease characterized by gum inflammation. In this stage, plaque is the main root that engineers the inflammation of the gums. Plaque is a biofilm mainly formed by bacteria and usually settles around your teeth and gum. In the beginning, the plaque does not pose any harm; however, if no action is taken, it can multiply, causing more damage. Pl multiplication of the plaque leads to microcolonies which usually start absorbing minerals from your saliva. As the bacteria continue feeding, it starts releasing toxins and acids that mostly lead to gum inflammation, affecting gum cells.
2. Periodontitis
When you fail to treat gingivitis for a long time, it will result in periodontitis, characterized by tissue loss. This stage is an advanced stage of gingivitis. Some tissues supporting your teeth get lost or damaged when you conduct periodontitis. Failure to treat gums at this stage immediately notices the symptoms usually leads to more teeth getting damaged. This is because the infection kills cells of the tissues responsible for your teeth’ support on the jawbone. This will finally lead to falling out of the affected teeth like experienced by many people affected by gum disease.
For this reason, you must attend to your teeth once the symptoms start appearing. Some people may prefer seeing a dentist, which will be very costly, mainly for the underpaid. However, do not panic because this tutorial has covered you, and we will give you natural ways to treat gum diseases without visiting a dentist. Keep it locked!
What Are The Causes And Symptoms Of Gum Disease?
Before we look at the methods you can use to cure gum disease without a dentist, let us look at what causes the disease. How can I know that I have gum disease? We will tell you the gum disease symptoms to help you prepare early enough before you start losing teeth.
As mentioned above, gum diseases start when plaque builds up on your teeth and around your gums. The leading cause of gum disease is plaque accumulation on the gum, which contains bacteria, toxins, and food compounds. Your body counters this acidic film with an inflammatory which leads to gum bleeding. As you saw above, when the inflammation is not countered, it leads to bone loosening, leading to tooth loss.
What are the signs and symptoms that I have gum disease? At the onset of the infection, gum diseases are usually painless, and you may not notice them. Here are some of the symptoms that you have gum disease:
- Adults will start having loose teeth.
- Having continuous bad breath and stale taste in your mouth.
- Having swollen, red, and bleeding gums
- You start feeling pain when chewing food.
- Your teeth will be more sensitive.
- You have a visible infection around your teeth and gums.
- Your gum will start pulling away from your teeth.
- You will experience a change in the way your teeth fit when you are biting food.
Once you notice the above symptoms on your gum, you need to start taking action, or else calamity is awaiting you. However, do not panic about what you should do if you cannot afford professional treatments. The section below will take you through the steps you need to follow to cure gum diseases without a dentist. Let us jump into that right away.
Steps To Cure Gum Disease Without A Dentist
Do you have gum disease, and you lack some cash to fund you get treatment from a dentist? Do not worry. Below are the steps to help you cure gum disease without involving a dentist.
1. Eating healthy food
Eating healthy food plays a very significant role in maintaining oral health. It helps prevent gum diseases by ensuring your body’s pH level is maintained and balanced. If your body’s pH is maintained at an equilibrium, your body will be able to fight the bacteria responsible for gingivitis and periodontal diseases. Also, eating food rich in Vitamin C will ensure that your bones remain strong. Generally, inflammation is due to bacteria that produce acidic substances, which need base substances to neutralize them.
2. Flossing regularly
Flossing is one of the best ways of curing gum diseases. All you need is to floss twice or thrice a day, mainly in the morning, evening, and night before you go to sleep. Fortunately, there are electric brushes that you can buy to help you do the job fast. Ensure you use mouthwash immediately after flossing for you to reduce the accumulation of plaque.
3. Using an antiseptic mouthwash
Antiseptic mouthwash is resourceful when curing gum diseases because it reduces disease-causing bacteria and prevents them from spreading. You can buy an antiseptic from a drug store or make one using drops of vinegar and water. You will need to swish it in your mouth for 30 seconds before you spit it out once you buy or make it. Afterward, gargle your mouth with water before brushing your teeth. This will prevent plaque from building up.
4. Practice good oral hygiene
Most people usually get busy to the extent of forgetting to maintain oral hygiene. Fortunately, you can achieve this by simply brushing your teeth regularly with fluoride toothpaste, reducing the chances of getting gum disease. You can also use activated charcoal-based instead of artificial toothpaste and achieve the same goals. You can also rinse your mouth with water if you do not have toothpaste after eating to remove any food remains which may lead to tooth decay. Study shows this practice can reduce gum disease by 30%.
5. Replace your toothbrush after three months
Using a toothbrush for a long time gets contaminated with bacteria when brushing your teeth. Also, the toothbrush’s bristles wear out, making them rougher on the gums, and causing gum inflammation. So, you must replace your toothbrush after three months to avoid such.
6. Saltwater swishing
Salt water not only has antibacterial properties but also prevents inflammation of body tissues. This means using salt water will help you treat the inflammation that appears in gingivitis which is the early stage of gum disease. Using this method may not necessarily cure the problem but may reduce the severity of the symptoms. You only need to put a teaspoon of salt in warm water, stir it, gargle your mouth for 30 seconds, and spit it out. Ensure you repeat the process three times a day for a noticeable change.
7. Use hydrogen peroxide to gargle
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the effective natural treatments for curing gum disease without a dentist. It kills all the bacteria that lead to gingivitis, the initial stage of gum disease and periodontitis. Additionally, most hygiene professionals recommend it because of its effectiveness in reducing the chronic inflammation of gums. You can get it at most supermarkets or in drug stores. Once you buy it, ensure you gargle your mouth three times daily.
8. Using aloe Vera mouthwash
Aloe Vera mouthwash is considered one of the most effective mouthwashes available in the market. Fortunately, it does not contain fluoride, alcohol, or any chemical, making it more appealing. Many people prefer it because it is not abrasive compared to other brands that have effects on users. After buying one, ensure that you gargle at least twice daily.
9. Using green tea
Green tea has got high amounts of antioxidants that are so effective in reducing tissue inflammation. This means it can help you counter inflammatory responses by the immune system in the mouth. It is evident that reduced inflammation minimizes gum damage and improves the jawbone’s strength. So, you can start drinking green tea if you have gum disease as an alternative to coffee because of its medicinal value.
10. Using lemongrass oil
You can reduce bacterial plaque levels using mouthwash with small lemongrass oil contents. For instance, a mouthwash with 0.25% lemongrass oil is more effective in reducing plaque than chlorhexidine gluconate—a proven anti-bacterial rinse for gum inflammation. All you need is to put three drops of lemongrass oil into a glass of water, swish for 30 seconds, and spit it out. You can start using one drop and increase the drops if you do not see any change.
How To Prevent Gum Diseases From Returning
After strictly following some of the methods discussed above, you will start observing massive changes in healing. It is unfortunate to get a remedy that works for you, and then after some time, your gum gets infected again. There are several steps that you need to take so that you prevent gum disease from coming back.
Here are some of the duties that you must do as a daily routine:
- You should start brushing your teeth for at least two minutes minimum of two times a day.
- Ensure you floss once a day.
- Get a natural mouthwash and gargle at least once or twice a day
Those ways prevent gum disease from returning if you remain strict. Those are not the only ways to prevent gum disease from returning; kindly explore the section above to get more methods.
When To See Your Doctor
If you take a step and treat your gingivitis earlier, you stand a better chance of recovering fully. However, your gum may need professional attention if you fail to treat it. Consequently, some stages of gum disease may lead to body health problems, as we shall see in the section below.
You are supposed to see a dentist once you notice the following symptoms:
- You start having severe tooth pain.
- If your mouth continues to have terrible breath.
- Your gums are bleeding more than expected.
- You have extremely swollen and inflamed gums.
Once you visit the dentist, they will either wash you or refer you to a periodontist. In other cases, the dentist will prescribe some medicated mouthwash that is more effective than the natural. Also, the dentist may prescribe more effective antibiotics to help curb the situation.
If the problem persists, a dental hygienist will teach you how to use some dental tools and products for healthy gums. It is okay if you are called in for additional cleanings and get further guidance on maintaining good oral hygiene. Also, it would be best if you were prepared because you may be subjected to an X-rays scan to help them facilitate the teeth removal.
How Gum Diseases Can Affect My Overall Health
Do you know that mouth problems usually affect the body parts if not well taken care of? Most bacteria in your mouth are usually harmless, but some lead to tooth decay or gum disease, as seen above. When left for a long time, the bacteria multiply and grow into microcolonies, leading to gum swelling. This inflammation may create an opening through which other dangerous bacteria can enter your body and resides in the heart or the lungs.
These are some of the diseases that have been linked to oral infections:
- Atherosclerosis and heart disease: Atherosclerosis is sometimes associated with damaged arteries in your body. When you have gum disease, there is a high risk of having damaged arteries and cardiovascular disease. If you have an existing heart disease, the situation will likely worsen if you have gum disease.
- Stroke: If you have gum diseases, there are high chances that your blood vessels will be blocked, increasing the chances of contracting stroke.
- Diabetes: there is a high chance that you will struggle to control sugar levels if you have gum disease when you have healthy gums.
- Respiratory disease: when you have swollen gums, some bacteria may find their way into your lungs, affecting your respiratory system. In some cases, the mouth bacteria can migrate downward, which can even affect your heart.
Those are some of the effects that can result from gum diseases, so you need to take action immediately. Fortunately, as we have seen above, there are natural remedies that you can use if you do not have money to see a dentist.
FAQs on Gum Disease
How long does gum disease take to go away?
If you identify the gum disease at an early stage which is gingivitis, the gum disease may go away within weeks or months. However, it is good to note that some cases may take more than expected if not looked upon by an expert. You might have to seek a dentist or dental hygienist for more checkups and advice on improving your oral health. Kindly note that if you maintain oral hygiene, the gum disease will disappear at the early stages of appearance.
Is it too late to fix my gum disease?
You can fix your gum disease if you identify it early and take a step toward treating it. As seen above, you can use several natural remedies we discussed to treat gum disease. Kindly note that you may lose your teeth if the situation remains unattended.
Will I lose my teeth if I have periodontal disease?
It is not easy to lose teeth if you identify that you have periodontal disease and start treating it as early as possible. However, if you fail to take action early, you will encounter inflammation and swelling of the gum. This will lead to the bones getting loose, which will pave the way for bacteria to damage your teeth roots. After some time, your teeth will fall if you do not take action.
What happens if you ignore gum disease?
Gum disease is an infection like any other, and you should take it seriously to treat it before the condition worsens. If you ignore gum disease, you start losing your teeth. In different scenarios, it may be a pathway through which bacteria will enter your lungs and heart, leading to severe problems. So, once you notice you have gum disease, kindly take the matter seriously by starting medications as soon as possible.