Persistent gum irritation clearly indicates that the gums are not in a healthy condition and require immediate treatment. This article will help you to understand how to treat irritated gums and get relief from it.
Gums are made of soft tissues and it surrounds the base of a tooth to give support to it so that it can maintain its position. These tissues are highly sensitive in nature and get irritated quite easily. This makes chewing of food difficult as it hurts a lot. The outer surface of the gums may get irritated when it suffers injury by sharp food particles or hard bristles of a toothbrush and it will continue till the injury heals. However, any irritation within the gum line is mostly triggered by excessive growth of bacteria in the region.
How is Gum Irritation Caused?
In majority of the cases, the cause of irritation is the plaque build up inside the mouth. Plaque is a colorless, sticky film that forms when the starchy residues of food particles, stuck in various corners of the mouth, interact with the bacteria present there. Plaque formation is absolutely a normal occurrence and you can get rid of it with proper brushing and flossing of the teeth. When oral hygiene is not maintained properly, then the plaque get accumulated there. If the plaque deposits get the scope to remain on the surface of the teeth for more than 24 hours, then it hardens up to form tartar, which allow the bacteria in the mouth to multiply in numbers in an undisturbed condition. The growing number of bacteria then release toxic substances that irritate the gum along the base of the teeth.
Treating Irritated Gums
When you feel severe irritation in the gums for 3-4 days, you must visit your dentist for treatment. Dentists are equipped with special dental instruments that can remove the hard deposits of tartar, which cannot be removed with a regular toothbrush. They use the instruments to clean up the tartar from the interdental spaces thoroughly. If there is a large-scale deposit of tartar, then it may require a number of cleaning sessions before all the traces of the tartar can be eliminated completely.
This should be followed by good oral care regime to prevent new plaque build up. For this, your dentist will teach you about the right brushing technique that can remove maximum possible plaque from the gum margins. As fluoride components provide protection to the surface of the teeth, they mostly recommend fluoride toothpaste in this condition. They also prescribe antiseptic mouth rinse, which has amine fluoride as a component to keep the mouth free from food debris. You should always use a toothbrush with soft bristles on irritated gums to avoid any further aggravation of the problem. You will be advised to brush your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day to keep your gums and teeth in healthy state. A dental check after a gap of six months is a must so that any problem can be detected at an early stage.
How to Cure Irritated Gums Naturally?
A minor gum irritation problem, which is not bothering you much, can be relieved with home remedies only. You may try out the natural ways to treat gum irritation along with the dental procedures as well. Here are a few effective home remedies:
Warm Salt Water: Gum irritation tends to get aggravated after eating. You can control it by gargling with warm saline water after every meal. Preparing the saline water is quite simple. All you have to do is put a pinch of salt into lukewarm water and dissolve it. Put the solution in your mouth and swish it around for a minute or two and then spit it out. You can feel that the irritation has come down.
Sage Tea: You can stop gum irritation by rinsing your mouth with sage tea. Put 2 teaspoons of dried sage leaves in a cup of boiling water and soak it for 10 minutes. When you use this tea for gargling, it has a soothing effect on the irritated mucous membranes of the gums.
Gum Massage: Gentle massaging has a calming effect on irritated gums. Rub the tips of your finger over the irritated area of the gum. At any point of time, if you feel that it is causing pain or discomfort, stop massaging immediately.
Tea Tree Oil: Put a drop of tea tree oil on the toothbrush and then put your regular toothpaste on it. Now, brush your teeth with this as usual. The tea tree oil will destroy the bacterial growth and can reduce gum irritation.
As you can see, the treatment options are quite simple. Therefore, you should not delay the treatment unnecessarily. A mild irritation in the gums, if neglected, can lead to a serious infection with more painful symptoms like swollen or tender gums that may bleed. Any dental procedure on this kind of sensitive gums is going to be very painful. Hence, its wise to consult your dentist if you sense gum irritation.
