What is gingivitis and do you really care? When you first have gingivitis, you probably don’t care except that you may have more bad breath than usual. Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums around your teeth. It’s generally caused by bacterial accumulations in the gaps between your gums and teeth and in the tartar buildup on your teeth.
Because of the growth and multiplication of these anaerobic bacteria, the ones that create bad breath sulfur compounds, your breath is going to get really bad unless you do something about it. The first step is to maintain your own good daily dental hygiene with regular flossing and brushing with the latest in oxygenating dental products.
Add the fact that since your gums are bleeding, the bacteria will be able to easily access your blood stream and spread to other parts of your body. This makes you susceptible to other infections. Check out our post on heart disease and bad breath bacteria – it really pays to keep your gums healthy. Another result of untreated gingivitis is periodontal disease and eventual bone loss. And you thought that having bad breath was a problem!
Besides at home care, your dentist is your ally in your dental health. Regular cleanings will keep your gums healthy, and under-the-gum cleaning will go after the more difficult areas that you can’t clean at home.
Remember, prevention is always the best step for eliminating gingivitis and bad breath.
