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What is gingivitis and what helps with gingivitis?

Is your gums reddened, swollen, sensitive to touch, or even bleeding when brushing your teeth? Then you will most likely suffer from inflamed gums, called gingivitis. As with many other diseases in the oral cavity area, bacterial dental plaque is usually the trigger for inflamed gums.

What is gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the medical name for gum inflammation. It is most often triggered by bacterial plaque1, but can also be triggered by mechanical stimuli (toothpicks, hard food components), viral or fungal infections and burns. The typical symptoms of gingivitis are redness, swelling and bleeding of the gums2. But even with a decline in the gums, one should be warned.

Unlike periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontium), gingivitis is completely curable, provided you act quickly and conscientiously. Otherwise, there is a risk that periodontitis will develop from gingivitis. However, since periodontitis is hardly distinguishable from gingivitis for the layman, you should always visit your dentist if you suffer from the above symptoms.

What to do in case of gingivitis?

Depending on how far the inflammation has progressed, a visit to the dentist is required. In the initial stages, however, gingivitis can be treated well at home. Here we introduce you to what helps against gingivitis and how you can prevent the disease.

Gingivitis: What really helps?

In the case of inflamed gums, quick action is required so that the inflammation does not spread and becomes periodontitis. Careful oral hygiene is the best measure against gingivitis, as well as the be-all and end-all for preventing any dental and gum problems. This includes:

Brushing your teeth 2 times a day: Regular and thorough brushing of the teeth removes the bacterial plaque and thus prevents gum inflammation. Use a good electric toothbrush that removes plaque even in hard-to-reach places, such as the Philips Protective Clean.
Clean interdental spaces: Bacteria accumulate especially in the interdental spaces. Clean them daily with the help of dental floss or, for example, the airfloss.
Remove tongue coating: Use a tongue brush to remove bacterial tongue coating. If you already use a Philips Sonicare, you can use a special brush head for your tongue.
Apply mouthwash: As a final step in daily oral hygiene, the use of antibacterial mouthwash is recommended. It gets into all areas of your mouth and helps prevent plaque and thus gum inflammation.

Tip: In the case of gingivitis, a mouthwash solution helps, which kills bacteria and counteracts the formation of new dental plaque. In the pharmacy, special ointments for gingivitis are available, which help to relieve the unpleasant symptoms in the acute stage.