How to Get Rid of Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a common form of gum disease that causes swelling or inflammation of your gums. Gingivitis can cause your gums to become swollen and begin to bleed just by brushing the teeth, eating or just touching the gums. The condition is the preclude to periodontal disease, which is a disease of the tissues that surround the neck and root of the teeth. There is a way to get rid of gingivitis, but it has to done every day or it won’t help for long.

Things You'll Need

• Dental floss
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Baking soda
• Peroxide
• Mouthwash

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Instructions

• 1

  Use dental floss to clean between your teeth. You need to floss first so you loosen anything caught between your teeth. Use either dental floss, floss picks or floss wands. They are available in waxed, non-wax, flavored or unflavored.

• 2

  Brush your teeth. Brushing after you floss will help to get rid of anything loosened between your teeth. Rmember to brush along the gum line, up, down and across your teeth because plaque can get set up at the gum line, not just between the teeth.

• 3

  Scrape your tongue with a tongue scrapper or the back of your toothbrush. Scrape back to front several times. This will help to remove any bacteria on your tongue, which can contribute to bad breath and plaque buildup.

• 4

  Make a paste with baking soda and peroxide. Apply this paste to your gums, gently massaging it in. Leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse with water.

• 5

  Rinse with mouthwash. There are many brands and flavors of mouthwash. Find one that can help prevent gingivitis, and that helps reduce plaque buildup and kills oral bacteria. This, in turn, helps defeat and prevent bad breath.

• 6

  Visit your dentist. If your gums are puffy, red, swollen or bleeding, you need to see your dentist. Getting a professional tooth cleaning will help remove the plaque and tartar that cause gingivitis and can prevent the gingivitis from progressing to periodontal disease.