Generally, when you think about oral health, comes to mind preventing cavities, but dental experts say that this also involves maintaining proper care to avoid gum infections such as gingivostomatitis or another chronic condition such as periodontitis.
However, these conditions not only obey periodontal poor hygiene. According to the dental surgeon Edenilson Jovel Díaz, may also result in consumption of cardiovascular drugs such as nifedipine, immunosuppressive and anti-seizure drugs, since they generate enlargements and gum disease. They can also develop in patients gestation period due to hormonal changes.
How to identify a diseased gums?
"Gingivostomatitis manifests as a sudden inflation gum without plaque accumulation, as sometimes is caused by the herpes virus or coxsackie virus and not bacteria residing in the mouth," said Diaz.
Comes with a fever over 38 degrees with vesicles on the lips, gums, oral mucosa, anterior tongue and hard palate, may be enlarged regional nodes. Gingivostomatitis is most common in children under 6 years.
"On the contrary, periodontitis is almost exclusive to adults over 40 years and is directly proportional to the degree of plaque accumulation and dental support decreases because it reduces alveolar bone level," he explained.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Reserch (NIDCR) warns that the constant bad breath, red or swollen gums, sensitive gums or bleeding, painful chewing, loose teeth, sensitive teeth, receding gums or teeth that look longer normal are other symptoms.
Treatments
According to the NIDCR, to combat these conditions involves performing deep cleaning, use of drugs or surgery.
"Scaling involves removing plaque that has been deposited above and below the gum line. The root planing eliminates rough areas which may have the tooth root where germs collect" explains NIDCR.
However, this procedure is due more to periodontitis and needs to be combined with drugs, said Diaz. "This case involves removing all kinds of local irritating factors like plaque retention and old fitting dentures, wisdom teeth and root fragments.
Other drugs used NIDCR points are enzymes suppressors, rinse bucalantimicrobiano prescription required, among others.
In extreme cases flap surgery required to remove scale deposits in deep pockets or to reduce the periodontal pocket or a bone graft or tissue to promote the regeneration of them, according to the NIDCR.
For gingivostomatitis, the rigor drug is acetaminophen to relieve fever and antiviral acyclovir, topically or systemically.
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