Do you have redness at the junction of your teeth and gums? Are the areas swollen? Is there any irritation in that region? Then yes, you have gingivitis. Gingivitis is a common and mild form of gum disease that causes irritation, redness, and swelling of your gingiva, the part of your gum around the base of your teeth. Gingivitis is a mild form of the disease, but it should be taken seriously, and proper treatment should be done because small diseases can be the root for the serious ones like periodontitis and tooth loss. Gingivitis is commonly seen in people who do not take good care of their oral hygiene. The gathering and accumulation of bacteria cause the stomach pH to decrease, and this reduced pH can be very dangerous for your teeth and the gums. If someone doesn't brush their teeth, the bacteria growth increases, which leads to complications in your mouth. The normal color of healthy gums is pink, and the gums sit perfectly around the teeth, but in the case of gingivitis, the appearance of teeth changes. Common signs and symptoms include: -Swollen or puffy gums -Dusky red or dark red gums -Gums that bleed when you brush or floss -Bad breath -Receding gums -Tender gums

When Should You See A Dentist? If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described above, you should immediately see a doctor because the longer you wait, the longer it will take to treat your condition because the disease will increase whenever you chew something. This physical damage to the gums has speedy effects on the already growing condition of gingivitis. Gingivitis is a very common condition, and anybody can develop it. Some of the risk factors that do increase your probability of getting gingivitis are stated below. -Poor dental hygiene -Smoking -Old age -Poor nutrition -Deficiency of vital vitamins -Dry mouth -Chewing tobacco -Certain drugs -Genetic factors -Immunological conditions -Hormonal changes -Viral or fungal infection How Do You Fix Gingivitis? Good treatment can be done, and lifestyle changes can be adopted to prevent your gingivitis from increasing to a level which cannot be managed. If not treated or not controlled, gingivitis can develop into something serious, causing life-threatening diseases or tooth loss. Professionally gingivitis is treated by: -Professional Dental Cleaning- The treatment starts with the removal of any plaque, tartar, and bacterial products from your teeth. These are the main causes of your condition. Scaling and root planing is done in order to remove the substances from your teeth. Scaling is used to remove tartar and bacteria from all around the teeth and gums, while root planing removes the bacterial products. This process removes inflammation and smoothens the root surfaces, and stops the condition from forming a further buildup of tartar and bacteria. -Dental Restoration- In certain conditions, there are complications like improper arrangement of teeth and formation of teeth in a way that it is quite impossible to remove any bacteria growth, so in these cases, your dentist may recommend using a dental restoration treatment to first align your teeth in a proper way so that treatments for removal of tartar and plaque can easily be done. -Ongoing Care- Gingivitis is usually cleared up by treatment and continuing good oral hygiene at home. These are the steps that can be taken to improve your condition if you have gingivitis. -Brushing your teeth twice a day and using a soft toothbrush that does not irritate you. -Flossing after brushing your teeth should be made a common practice so that any food particles stuck between your teeth can be removed and stops the formation of plaque. -Using over-the-counter mouthwash or a medicated one from a prescription from your dentist so that the bacterial growth can be stopped. -Stopping your habit of smoking or chewing tobacco. -Getting your teeth checked by your dentist from time to time and taking all the necessary oral dental care as recommended by your dentist can be very helpful.

Does Gingivitis Go Away? Yes, gingivitis can go away if proper treatment of the condition is done as described above. The process of the treatment includes the removal of tartar from your teeth which is the main cause of irritation, causing the redness and the inflammation of your gums. After the tartar has been removed from your teeth, it will take some time and some care to cure the condition properly because any physical damage either by chewing can again damage the gums, which will increase the inflammation.  If a good practice of brushing your teeth twice and flossing after is done and a properly medicated mouthwash is used, then the condition can be managed, and gingivitis can be cured, never to come back again. However, if you do not treat your gingivitis, it can develop into something terrible. This condition can lead to certain complicated life-threatening diseases, and it can also cause total loss of the grip around your teeth and tooth loss, so if you are facing any condition as described, make sure you get an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible so that the condition can be treated while easily curable. How Long Will It Take To Reverse Gingivitis? Gingivitis is totally reversible, and it can be cured in up to 10 to 14 days with proper care. If the gingivitis condition is more serious, then it can take more time. The necessary thing is to take proper care after you start the treatment. If you don't change your lifestyle and keep ignoring your dental health, the disease won't cure in time, and it can develop again even after being cured. Make sure you do not do any of the things which are causing gingivitis and take proper hygiene measures by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing your teeth so that you don't provide the required conditions for gingivitis development.