Swollen gums: cause, treatment and natural remedies!

1. What causes swollen gums?

2. What treatment to relieve gum pain?

3. Some natural remedies to do at home

4. In conclusion

You may have experienced pain in your gums , observed redness, or experienced bleeding . Typically, these signals are accompanied by swelling of the gums, which is one of the symptoms of gum inflammation often caused by a buildup of plaque or tartar . 😷 Plaque or tartar can then lodge under the gums (between the gum and the tooth) and cause different pathologies such as chronic gingivitis or periodontitis .

Indeed, these gum problems are among the most common oral health and hygiene problems, and although you should not be alarmed right away, it is important not to neglect the health of your mouth nor that of your teeth, and to go to your dentist to ensure that these symptoms do not indicate anything more serious ( periodontitis and severe periodontitis , symptoms of gingivitis , gingival abscess , loosening of a tooth , etc. ). 🤒

So, what causes gum swelling, what treatment method to apply, and how to relieve the pain caused by swollen gums? 🤔

The MyVariations team looked into the question...

First of all, one might wonder what healthy gums look like. Healthy gums are pink , very firm and often have a slightly grainy appearance (which some will call “orange peel”). 👄

If your gums don't look like this, and you notice enlargement , redness, gum blackening or swelling, your gums feel slightly softer to the touch and you feel pain, or you notice a canker sore on the gum , white gum , or creamy white patches (indicative of oral candidiasis ) it is a question of taking the right measures, because this is not normal and should not be taken lightly. ⚠️

When you have swollen gums , it is generally accompanied by a red color, bleeding gums, a fairly large amount of tartar and, very often, bad breath . 🥴 Pain in the teeth can be felt when the inflammation in the gums migrates and impacts the tooth. These symptoms are generally a precursor to gingivitis , a gum disease that can also have very negative effects on the health of the tooth.

You should be concerned when the swollen gum is red, painful and bleeds when cleaning your teeth or spontaneously. Normally, healthy gums do not bleed when brushing. 🙅‍♂️

Left untreated, swollen gums can progress to gingivitis, which itself, if not properly treated, can progress to more serious periodontitis , which can have disastrous consequences on the health of your gums and teeth. teeth. Also, you should definitely not delay in seeing your dentist! 😨

However, it is possible to reduce the risks of this disease by knowing the foods to avoid to prevent periodontitis.

Often a sign of gum inflammation , gingivitis, swollen gums can have several causes:

• An accumulation of bacteria 🦠 (contained in poorly eliminated dental plaque) between the tooth and the gums, due to a lack of rigor in one's oral hygiene routine
• Improper toothbrushing 🪥 often too strong and too vigorous irritating the gums, it is essential to know how to brush your teeth well
• Tartar buildup (caused by poor plaque removal)
• A dental appliance that is not well adjusted enough ⛓ (crown, implant, rings, etc.)
• The appearance of wisdom teeth

These causes are the most common, and they are the ones that lead patients to their dentist most frequently.

A dental abscess can also appear as swollen gums. But in this case, this type of problem, generally very localized at the level of a tooth or several teeth, is frequently associated with much greater pain which then suggests more serious problems than simple, easily treatable gingivitis.

However, there are also other aggravating factors , sometimes external to the field of oral health and the mouth and which can also lead to swelling of the gums 🌡:

• Smoking 🚬; in fact, in addition to being very bad for your overall health and your lungs, cigarettes and tobacco are particularly irritating for your gums, and harmful for your teeth (stains, more abundant tartar, yellowing of the teeth, etc.)
• Stress (which can also cause mouth pain ) 🤯
• A lack of vitamin C 🍊 (when they tell you to eat fruit!)
• A hormonal change 🤰 (pregnancy, menopause, puberty, hormonal contraception, etc.)
• Diabetes 🍭
• Other treatments such as chemotherapy or taking certain medications.

While swollen gums may seem like a benign problem and do not interfere with the use of your mouth, it is a concern that should not be overlooked. ☝️ And for good reason, the inflammation can quickly progress to gingivitis , a retraction of the gums , then a real infection, an abscess, or even the loosening and loss of one or more teeth! 😱

The first step in the case of gum swelling is to immediately make an appointment with your dentist or a periodontist (specialist in the periodontium made up of the gums and bones present around your teeth). 🧑‍⚕️

The latter will then carry out a complete and careful scaling of your entire mouth. Please note, scaling carried out by a dental health professional is the only solution to remove tartar (teeth cleaning is not enough!).
We remind you that descaling at home is a very bad idea and strongly discouraged! It is imperative to go to the dentist.

Scaling will remove all tartar present (including under the gums) and thus considerably reduce the proliferation of bacteria in your mouth. 🦷

Then, it is absolutely essential to resume good habits, and to take care of your teeth daily and rigorously!

The UFSBD (French Union for Oral Health) recommends brushing your teeth 2 to 3 times a day for 2 minutes, using a toothbrush with soft bristles so as not to further irritate your gums or damage your teeth. dental enamel and promote dental erosion . 👌

The majority of dentists also recommend the use of a product that is increasingly gaining popularity, the electric toothbrush , and in particular sonic electric toothbrushes , because they offer flawless effectiveness in eliminating dental plaque. , while being very soft and therefore allowing healthy gums to be maintained. 🤗

The MyVariations brand also offers an affordable and easy-to-use model , which combines soft nylon bristle heads, an integrated 2-minute timer , and 5 cleaning modes to adapt your oral care to your sensitivity and preferences. 😉

Discover our toothbrushes

Daily tooth brushing can also be supplemented by the use of dental floss or interdental brushes to remove less accessible dental plaque found in the interdental spaces.

Learn about the correct way to use interdental brushes beforehand.

In some cases, the use of a mouthwash with antiseptic properties may be welcome. 🧪

Be careful, this type of mouthwash should not be used too often, otherwise it could disrupt the bacterial flora in your mouth.

Normally, over time, and if you are careful in following these treatments, the swelling symptoms of gingivitis should disappear, and you should be able to strengthen your gums and keep your normal gums healthy. If this is not the case, it is imperative that you make an appointment with your dentist again, in order to refine the care. 🩺

There are several natural and at-home options for treating pain.

• Make a daily mouthwash based on sesame or coconut oil (technique called “oil pulling”). This technique is as effective as an antiseptic mouthwash but does not cause any disruption to the oral flora. 🥥
• Rinsing your mouth and sore gums with lukewarm salt water can help relieve inflammation and pain temporarily (warm we said, not hot). 🫖
• Essential oils are also quite effective in treating pain and gingivitis: mix 20 drops of each of the following oils; rosewood, lavender, tea tree, then add 50 drops of Macadamia oil. Then apply this mixture locally 3 times a day. You can also place 3 drops on your toothbrush each time you clean your teeth. 💦

If you have the following symptoms , do not hesitate to consult your dentist without further delay 😥:

Only he will be able to determine the cause and origins of these symptoms to prescribe the appropriate treatments . ☺️

However, scaling and maintaining good dental hygiene should be enough (in the majority of cases) to relieve pain and stop inflammation.

And There you go ! You know everything about gum swelling, their causes and treatments! Did you like this article? Read other articles by clicking right here 😁