{"id":5555,"date":"2025-06-01T23:02:03","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T21:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/?p=5555"},"modified":"2026-10-22T16:23:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T14:23:52","slug":"gingivitis-symptoms-causes-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/dental-care\/gingivitis-symptoms-causes-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"Gingivitis: everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Gingivitis<\/strong> is a very common and generally mild gum disease that causes irritation, swelling and redness of the part of the gum around the base of the teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s a problem that should be taken seriously and treated promptly, as it can lead to a more serious gum disease known as periodontitis, and even to tooth loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the most common causes of gingivitis is <strong>poor oral hygiene<\/strong>. Good habits, such as brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing every day and having regular dental check-ups, can help prevent gingivitis and even reverse it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Symptoms of gingivitis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Healthy gums are pale pink, firm and fit snugly around the teeth. When gingivitis is present, however, the <strong>symptoms<\/strong> and signs may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Swollen gums<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dusky red or purplish gums<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bad breath<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gums that bleed easily when you brush or floss<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tender gums<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Receding gums<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, see your <strong>dentist<\/strong>. The sooner you get professional care and the <a href=\"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/treatments\/\">right dental treatment<\/a>, the better the chances of reversing the damage caused by gingivitis and stopping the problem from getting worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Causes of gingivitis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most common cause of gingivitis is poor oral hygiene, which allows plaque to form on the teeth and inflames the surrounding gum tissue. Plaque can lead to gingivitis in several ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It forms on the teeth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaque is a sticky, invisible film made up mostly of bacteria. It builds up on the teeth when sugars and starches from food combine with the bacteria that normally live in the mouth. Plaque needs to be removed every day, as it forms very quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It turns into tartar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plaque that isn&#8217;t removed and stays on the teeth can harden under the gum line and turn into tartar, which collects bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tartar makes plaque harder to remove, shelters bacteria and irritates the whole gum line. To get rid of it, you need a professional dental clean (find out more in our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/dental-care\/dental-tartar-how-to-prevent-and-eliminate-it\/\">how to prevent and remove dental tartar<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inflamed gums<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The longer plaque and tartar stay on the teeth, the more irritated the gum around the base of the teeth becomes and the worse the inflammation gets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over time, the gums start to swell and bleed more easily, and tooth decay can also appear. What&#8217;s more, if left untreated, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis and eventually lead to tooth loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risk factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anyone can develop gingivitis, as it&#8217;s a very common condition, but some factors <strong>increase<\/strong> the risk:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Smoking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Older age<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dry mouth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor diet<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vitamin C deficiency<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Poor oral hygiene habits<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Crooked teeth that are hard to clean<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Badly fitting dental restorations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conditions that weaken the immune system (leukaemia, HIV, cancer treatment\u2026)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Certain medicines, such as phenytoin or calcium channel blockers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hormonal changes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Viral or fungal infections<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Genetics<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Complications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If gingivitis isn&#8217;t treated, it can turn into a more serious gum disease that spreads to the tissue and bone supporting the tooth: <strong>periodontitis<\/strong> (also known as <a href=\"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/dental-care\/piorrhea-everything-you-need-to-know\/\">pyorrhoea<\/a>), which can lead to tooth loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Chronic inflammation<\/strong> of the gums has been linked to some systemic diseases, such as diabetes, respiratory diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and coronary artery disease. Some studies suggest that the bacteria that cause periodontitis can enter the bloodstream through the gum tissue and affect the heart, lungs and other parts of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A severe form of gingivitis is <strong>necrotising ulcerative gingivitis<\/strong>, which causes ulcers and bleeding in the gums, along with pain and infection. It is rare in developed countries today, but very common in developing countries with poor living conditions and inadequate nutrition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prevention<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Good oral hygiene<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This means brushing your teeth for at least two minutes twice a day, morning and night, and flossing at least once a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ideally, you should brush after every meal or as your dentist advises. Flossing before brushing helps to remove food debris and bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Regular dental visits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s a good idea to visit the dentist regularly, every 6 to 12 months, for a professional clean. If you have risk factors that make periodontitis more likely, you will need to have cleans more often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An annual dental X-ray can also help detect problems that can&#8217;t be seen with a simple visual examination and track changes in your dental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Healthy lifestyle habits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, eating a healthy, balanced diet. And if you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar under control helps keep your gums healthy. If you notice any of the symptoms of gingivitis, <a href=\"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/book-your-appointment\/\">book your appointment<\/a> and we&#8217;ll help you look after your gums.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Gingivitis is a very common and generally mild gum disease that causes irritation, swelling and redness of the part of the gum around the base of the teeth. It&#8217;s a problem that should be taken seriously and treated promptly, as it can lead to a more serious gum disease known as periodontitis, and even to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1047,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dental-care"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5555","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5555"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5555\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5558,"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5555\/revisions\/5558"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5555"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5555"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acostacubero.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5555"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}