Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums, usually caused by a bacterial infection. If left untreated, it can become a more serious infection known as periodontitis.

Gingivitis and牙周炎据此是成人牙齿损失的主要原因美国牙科协会。

牙龈炎通常是由牙菌斑的过度生长引起的。除了不正确的牙齿卫生外，还有很多贡献因素，如：

有一些类型的牙龈炎导致口香糖感染与斑块过度生长无关。这些包括：

  • 某些病毒或真菌感染，如thrush
  • 一个牙齿碰撞或者没有完全出现的牙齿（如果发生这种情况，牙齿上的牙龈皮瓣可以捕获碎片并导致牙龈炎）

Your gums actually attach to the teeth at a lower point than the gum edges we see. This forms a small space called a sulcus. Food and plaque can get trapped in this space and cause a gum infection or gingivitis.

牌匾是一部薄膜的细菌。它在牙齿的表面上不断形成。作为斑块的进步，它变硬并变成了鞑靼。You can develop a gum infection when plaque extends below the gum line.

如果未选中，牙龈炎会导致牙龈与牙齿分开。这可能导致：

  • injury to the soft tissue and bone supporting the teeth
  • the tooth to become loose and unstable
  • the loss of the tooth, if infection progresses

以下是牙龈炎和牙周炎的危险因素：

许多人不知道他们有牙龈疾病。可以没有任何症状的牙龈炎。然而，以下可能是牙龈疾病的症状：

  • gums that are red, tender, or swollen
  • gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth
  • 从牙齿中拉开的牙龈
  • loose teeth
  • 当你咬时，你的牙齿如何适应（malocclusion的）
  • pus between your teeth and gums
  • 咀嚼时疼痛
  • sensitive teeth
  • partial dentures不再适合
  • 刷牙后不会消失的臭味

It’s important to contact a dentist if you think you might have gum disease because it can still be reversed at early stages. Contact a dentist if you have any symptoms of gum disease. Early signs are usually gums that are red, swollen, and bleeding easily.

During a dental exam, your gums will be probed with a small ruler.

  • 该探测是一种检查炎症的方法。
  • 它测量牙齿周围的任何口袋。典型的深度为1至3毫米。
  • Your dentist may also order X-rays to check for bone loss.

与您的牙医讨论牙龈疾病的危险因素，以及您的症状。这有助于诊断牙龈炎。如果存在牙龈炎，您可能会被称为牙周派。牙周派是一个专门治疗牙龈疾病的牙医。

你必须练习good oral hygiene治疗牙龈炎。如果你忍受这种情况，你还应该削减任何吸烟，如果你忍受这种情况，你也会吸烟和管理你的糖尿病。戒烟可能很困难，但医生可以帮助建立一个停止计划这适合你。

Other treatments include:

  • 深度清洁牙齿
  • 抗生素药物
  • 手术

Cleaning teeth

有几种技术可以用来在没有手术的情况下深入清洁牙齿。它们都删除斑块和牙垢以防止口香糖刺激：

  • 缩放。Teeth scalingremoves tartar from above and below the gum line.
  • Root planing。这使粗糙的斑点平滑，从根表面中移除斑块和牙垢。
  • 激光器。This treatment may remove tartar with less pain and bleeding than scaling and root planing.

Medications

A number of medications can be used to treat gum disease:

  • Antiseptic mouthwash含有氯己定可以用来消毒你的嘴。
  • Timed-release antiseptic chips含有氯己定可以在根刨后插入口袋中。
  • Antibiotic microspheres用米诺霉素制成，可以在缩放和刨纱后插入口袋。
  • Oral antibiotics可用于治疗牙龈炎症的持续区域。
  • Doxycycline那一个一个tibiotic, can help keep enzymes from causing tooth damage.

Surgery

如果你的齿龈炎是严重的,尤其是如果它是caused any gum or bone tissue loss, you may need surgery. Types of gum surgery, which is performed by a periodontist, include:

  • Flap surgery.Flap surgery是一种过程，其中牙龈被抬起，而斑块和牙垢从更深的口袋中取出。然后牙龈suturedin place to fit snugly around the tooth.
  • Bone and tissue grafts.当你的牙齿和下颚太损坏以愈合时，可以使用嫁接。
    • 牙龈移植物手术uses tissue from the roof of your mouth to cover the exposed tooth root. This helps prevent additional gum and bone loss.
    • 为一个骨移植物那your doctor will start with a procedure similar to flap surgery, but they’ll put in a bone graft to encourage your body to regenerate any lost jaw bone.
  • 牙冠延长。Some people with gingivitis may have excess gum tissue. If this is the case, a periodontist can重塑牙龈和骨组织露出更多牙齿。这也可能在牙齿上的某些化妆品或恢复程序之前必要。

适当且一致的口服卫生可以防止口香糖疾病。这包括：

  • 定期参观牙医
  • 每天两次刷牙氟化物toothpaste
  • 每天用牙线

Eating abalanced diet对实现和维持牙科健康也很重要。

这 疾病控制和预防中心（CDC） 和 National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research 报告牙周病与风险增加有关：

  • diabetes
  • 心脏病
  • stroke
  • 肺部疾病

It also increases the risk of a person giving birth to a premature or low birth weight infant.

Although gum disease is associated with these health conditions, it hasn’t been shown to cause them. More research is needed to determine the specifics of this association.