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• Method 1 of 2: Physician Recommended Advice
• Method 2 of 2: Home treatment
• Tips

Gum disease, also called gingivitis, is almost always caused by incorrect dental cleaning. If good dental care isn't effective, you can try these techniques to get rid of gum disease yourself. Still, it is always best to go to the dentist; the dentist can assess the situation and draw up a suitable treatment plan.

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Method 1 of 2: Physician Recommended Advice

1. Know the gum disease symptoms. During the early stages, gingivitis can pass through life almost unseen. If the gum disease gets worse and develops into periodontal disease, the symptoms are usually:
   • Bleeding gums after brushing your teeth
   • Sensitive, swollen gums that are usually redder than normal
   • Persistent bad breath (halitosis)
   • Gum recession
   • Deep pockets between the teeth and gums, causing the teeth to loosen
2. Understand how plaque causes problems. Food that gets stuck between the gums forms, in combination with bacteria, plaque. This is a sticky film that irritates the gums and causes them to bleed.
   • This colorless, sticky film contains nutrients, bacteria and saliva, and attaches to the teeth above and below the gums. This can cause gingivitis and tooth decay. The plaque hardens within 24 hours, causing tartar to form. The damage has already been done - only a dentist can remove the tartar. This "contaminated crust" grows every day, causing inflammation of the gums.
   • It is therefore important to remove the plaque every day, at all costs. This way you prevent gum disease. But brushing alone does not completely remove the plaque unfortunately.
3. Know the non-operative options. Most gingivitis treatments require a dentist. Nipping the inflammation in the bud, however, is half the battle. If you have mild inflammation, you can consider these non-surgical treatments:
   • Professional cleaning. Your dentist may recommend that you have your teeth and gums professionally cleaned twice a year to prevent gum disease from developing. The dentist will remove both plaque and tartar. These are scraped away, and then the rough spots are polished.
   • Scraping and polishing. Like professional cleaning, this method is applied under a local anesthetic. Plaque and tartar are scraped away (scraping) and rough spots are smoothed (polishing). This procedure is usually done when the dentist determines that plaque and tartar need to be removed from under the gum line.
4. Know what the operative solutions are. Severe gingivitis or periodontal disease will likely require surgery. These operations can be performed:
   • A flap operation. During a flap operation, the gums are loosened and removed under local anesthetic. This makes the root of the teeth and the edge of the jaw bone easily visible and accessible, and plaque and tartar can be easily removed. The gums are then reattached around the molars and teeth.
   • Flap surgery usually also removes affected pieces of tissue. A gauze-like substance is placed between the bone and the gum, so that the tissue will repair itself. The actual bone will also be better able to recover.
   • If necessary, the jaw bone is updated so that the affected bone has a new platform to grow in. This makes the teeth sit more firmly in the gums.
5. Help yourself. No matter what happens in the dental chair, it is what happens in the bathroom that determines the success of your treatment.
   • Know that most home remedies, such as ointments and creams, only treat the symptoms of the inflammation. This way they counteract irritation and swelling. They do not deal with the plaque and tartar that cause gingivitis and periodontal disease.
   • Reversing and preventing gingivitis is all about fighting plaque on a daily basis. In most cases that means that you really have it in your own hands. Brushing well every day is a good start, but you're not there yet.
6. Use an oral irrigator. This is an effective tool for preventing gingivitis and is recommended by dentists for daily plaque removal. The plaque is sprayed from the teeth and between the pockets in the gums by means of a powerful jet of water. As a result, nutrients and bacteria are sprayed away between the teeth and gums.
   • Research at the UNMC College of Dentistry, Lincoln indicates that the oral irrigator, in combination with brushing your teeth, is a good alternative to flossing to limit bleeding, prevent gingivitis, and remove plaque. There are different types of oral irrigators on the market. The most common is the electric version of Waterpik. Portable models from other brands, such as Panasonic, are also available.
   • Some dentists still recommend flossing. The area where the inflammation is located is 4 to 10 mm deep. However, the floss will only reach 2-3mm. The question is therefore how flossing can combat gingivitis.
   • An oral irrigator, or water flosser, has the added advantage that, unlike flossing, it is a pleasant experience that you will want to repeat every day. Also, it only takes fifteen seconds.

Method 2 of 2: Home treatment

1. Know that most of the steps below are unconfirmed home remedies. It is best for your teeth to visit the dentist regularly and only use the following remedies in conjunction with the advice recommended by doctors. Do not use the remedies below as replacement for dental care.
2. Try oral probiotics. Orala probiotics contain "good" bacteria that help restore the natural balance of the mouth. The balance of bacteria in the mouth is confused by the oral disinfectant found in mouthwash and toothpaste.
   • Some oral probiotics contain the bacteria Lactobacillus reuteri, which can also be found in breast milk and saliva. This bacterium, in combination with other treatments, is particularly recommended for non-operative treatments.
3. Try Coenzyme Q10. This helps convert fats and sugars into energy. In addition to being used to treat diabetes and congestive heart failure, it is also used to combat gum disease.
4. Try a peroxide mouthwash. A mouthwash that contains hydrogen peroxide is antibacterial and disinfects. It also helps fight inflammation and reduce irritation. The substance becomes active when it comes into contact with an enzyme in the mouth.
5. Use a corsodyl mouth spray. Corsodyl mouth spray is a powerful spray that contains chlorhexidine digluconate - and therefore has antibacterial properties that counteract dental plaque. Corsodyl mouth spray is also used to treat pain caused by mouth ulcers, infections, and inflammation in the mouth.
   • Such a mouth spray can be used if brushing your teeth becomes difficult / painful, such as after an operation. Be careful not to get it in your eyes or ears.
6. Try a gene gel gel. This gel contains hyaluronic acid, which can also be found in the body, and is used to heal certain wounds and promote the production of new tissue. For best results, apply the gel before going to sleep.

Tips

• Preferably use the oral irrigator just before going to sleep.