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Why do gums hurt

How the gum hurts, everyone knows. It swells and bleeds, causing constant discomfort while brushing your teeth and eating. But why this happens and what can happen if inflammation of the gums is not treated, we will tell in this article.

Gums hurt: causes

The cause of pain is an inflammatory process in the tissues surrounding the tooth. As a rule, it occurs due to an increase in the number of bacteria that live and develop in the oral cavity. This happens under the influence of a number of adverse factors:

  1. poor home hygiene;
  2. plaque or tartar;
  3. caries;
  4. poor-quality filling of canals or restoration of teeth;
  5. complicated eruption of “eights”;
  6. weakening of the immune system;
  7. hormonal imbalance;
  8. mechanical injury.

At the initial stage, periodontal inflammation affects only the gingival margin and is accompanied by bleeding, swelling, itching, redness, and pain. But over time, the infection passes to the ligament that holds the tooth root in the jaw, and the bone.

Experts distinguish two stages of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis.
Gingivitis

This is the initial stage of gingival inflammation, in which inflammation affects only the soft tissues. It is completely reversible. With gingivitis, the gums hurt and swell, become swollen, red, painful, bleed, and plaque constantly forms on them. If, when these signs appear, you do not seek help from a periodontist, then the disease will progress.
Periodontitis

In 90% of cases, periodontal inflammation is already diagnosed as periodontitis. In this case, the process affects the soft tissues, destroys the ligament and bone, and it is impossible to completely cure it. This inflammation becomes chronic, and when exacerbations occur between the teeth and gums, pus forms and taste sensations change, and the cheek often swells. The symptoms of gingivitis also persist and intensify. Periodontitis is characterized by bad breath and pain when eating. At the same time, teeth begin to loosen over time. And if you do not carry out regular therapy, then over time you can lose healthy teeth.

Pain in the gums can also be triggered by periodontitis – inflammation of the tissues that surround the root of the tooth. Usually, before swelling appears on the gums, the causative tooth hurts when biting.

Pain in the gums can also be triggered by periodontitis – inflammation of the tissues that surround the root of the tooth. Usually, before swelling appears on the gums, the causative tooth hurts when biting.
The main symptoms of gum disease:

  1. Bad breath.
  2. Bleeding gums.
  3. Pain when closing the jaws or chewing.

Sore gums: what to do?

If the gum hurts and even swollen, then you should immediately contact a periodontist. This is a narrow profile dentist, with a visit to which it is better not to delay when discomfort appears and the first signs of inflammation on the mucosa. It is this specialist who diagnoses and treats periodontal tissue diseases. A periodontist should also be consulted for the prevention of gum disease.
What is periodontal treatment aimed at?

  1. Removal of dental deposits.
  2. Periodontal pocket cleaning.
  3. Preventing the spread of infection.
  4. Activation of the immune system.
  5. Development of a program of preventive measures.

Gum treatment will be most effective and successful at the initial stage of the disease.
If your gums hurt:

  1. Use a soft toothbrush and special toothpaste.
  2. Brush your teeth properly and regularly.
  3. Use dental floss, mouthwash and irrigator.
  4. Avoid very hot, cold, sweet and salty foods during treatment.
  5. Temporarily avoid solid foods.

What can happen if gums are not treated

Bleeding and inflammation of the gums are ignored by many, as they consider these symptoms to be frivolous, but this opinion is erroneous. If left untreated, the dentogingival junction is gradually destroyed, the teeth loosen and fall out.

According to statistics, gingivitis and periodontitis are increasingly diagnosed every year in patients aged 30–40 years. If you do not seek help from a doctor, then after 10-15 years in some of them the disease goes from mild to severe, teeth may begin to fall out.
Sore gums: how to treat?

Competent and effective gum treatment can only be carried out by a periodontist. Depending on the diagnosis and stage of the disease, he can prescribe a number of therapeutic measures to the patient.

  1. Professional hygiene. This is a mandatory procedure carried out by a hygienist. In one procedure, he removes all dental deposits and the bacteria living in them, not only from the surface of the teeth, but also under the gum. In addition, the hygienist will correct your home oral care, show you how to brush your teeth properly, select a brush and products for you, taking into account your individual problems.
  2. Treatment with Vector. It gently cleans the periodontal pocket to a depth of 11 mm and gently works even in the most inaccessible places, ensuring maximum cleanliness. Thanks to ultrasound, Vector-therapy destroys the biofilm from microorganisms, and a powerful flow of fluid removes it from under the gums. A special solution washes and disinfects the gums. Due to its gentle effect, the system allows you to effectively and at the same time absolutely painlessly reduce the depth of periodontal pockets. Bleeding, soreness and swelling disappear.
  3. Plasmolifting. The patient’s blood plasma is injected into the inflamed areas of the gums by injection. This procedure is absolutely painless and has a beneficial effect on the condition of the gums: bleeding and inflammation disappear, and tooth mobility is reduced. It is important that the healing effect is noticeable after the first procedure.
  4. Physiotherapy. Physiotherapy may include electrophoresis, massage, photodynamic therapy and ultrasound treatment. These procedures are prescribed as an addition to the main treatment. They have a complex effect, improve prognosis and reduce treatment time.
  5. Surgery. In cases of a neglected situation, when the inflammation has gone too far, and the therapeutic methods have not shown the desired result, the periodontist remains to carry out surgical treatment. It can be curettage, gingivectomy or gum plastic surgery. Doctors use the Fonalaser laser (Germany) for this. It removes the affected gum tissue with little or no discomfort and without blood, and the recovery period is fast. Also, a diode laser is used in the correction of the gingival margin and the removal of neoplasms.

If it is not possible to go to the doctor right now, and the gums hurt, then you can temporarily reduce the level of inflammation yourself with:

  1. Dental gels for gum pain relief.
  2. Herbal rinses to relieve inflammation (chamomile, sage, eucalyptus).

Only an integrated approach allows you to effectively solve problems with gum disease and forget about pain for a long time. Remember that it is important to take care not only of dental health, but also to monitor the condition of the entire oral cavity.