What Causes Swollen Gums and What are the Treatment Options

Gingivitis is the most common cause of swollen gums. Gingivitis is caused by improper oral hygiene. Proper oral hygiene consists of brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing at least once a day. In addition to your at-home oral care regimen, it is important to visit the dentist every six months for a professional exam and cleaning.

A failure to practice proper oral hygiene results in a buildup of plaque and bacteria. When the bacteria feed on the sugars in the foods that we eat, they create a harmful acid byproduct as a result. This acid is what causes tooth decay. When plaque is allowed to accumulate, it turns into tartar. When plaque and tartar build up along the gumline, it causes the gums to swell. This swelling of the gums, or gingivitis, is the first stage of gum disease. Luckily, gingivitis is highly treatable and reversible. Improving your oral hygiene is the best swollen gums treatment. Failure to effectively treat gingivitis will lead to it developing into periodontitis, a much more serious stage of gum disease. In cases in which improving oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings are not enough to clear up the gingivitis, our Los Angeles periodontist may suggest a procedure called scaling and root planing. In this procedure, the plaque and tartar above and below the gumline is scraped away, and the hard bacterial deposits at the root of the teeth are removed.