How to Cure Gum Disease

More than two-thirds of all Americans over the age of 35 show some sign of gum disease. According to The New England Journal of Medicine, not only does gum disease signify a problem in your mouth, it may be a contributing factor in heart disease. Curing gum disease depends upon careful treatment and maintenance of the tissue pockets between your teeth. While there are some home care treatments, if the condition progresses into full-blown periodontitis, intervention by a qualified dental professional is in order.

Things You'll Need

• Soft bristles brush
• Baking soda
• Oscillating toothbrush
• Oral irrigator

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Instructions

• 1

  Visit a dentist for an initial consultation on the extent of your gum disease and to learn about treatment methods. Unfortunately, gum disease is found more often among people who are nervous about dental work, because they don’t see their dentist often enough to catch the condition in its infancy.

• 2

  Have your teeth thoroughly cleaned by a professional dental hygienist at least twice a year, and follow good brushing and flossing habits. It’s important to realize that plaque that forms on your teeth causes irritation when it makes contact with your gums. When brushing, pay special attention to the area of tooth at the gum line and make sure to remove all traces of plaque.

• 3

  Use a soft-bristled brush while your gums are sensitive. The rapid movement back and forth will clean your teeth without irritating the gums. Try baking soda, recommended by many dentists to gently clean your teeth while stimulating your gums.

• 4

  Try a powered toothbrush that rotates or vibrates very quickly to save you some elbow grease. An oscillating head removes plaque more efficiently than a standard brush.

• 5

  Schedule deep-pocket cleaning if your gum disease is severe. A certified dental hygienist will administer a local anesthesia to one area of your mouth and use deep scaling instruments to remove hardened tartar from below the gum line. As your gums become irritated from prolonged contact with plaque, they swell and pull away from the tooth, creating a pocket where more plaque forms. As this cycle progresses, the plaque hardens into tartar that a professional must remove.

• 6

  Ask your dentist about laser treatment for damaged gum tissue. Relatively new, this process involves destroying infected gum tissue and removing it along with tartar deposits to encourage the growth of new tissue. For patients who find scraping or the sound a drill disagreeable, the laser is an option.

• 7

  Follow strict dental hygiene after the initial treatment by the hygienist. It’s more important now to brush and floss at least twice daily. In addition, an oral water irrigator can assist in dislodging food from between the teeth.

• 8

  Try rinsing with salt water after each brushing and flossing. Saltwater causes the gums to contract and it may help tighten the tissues against the teeth, temporarily reducing the pocket and preventing food from packing between the gum line and the tooth.