Your gums play an integral role when it comes to your dental health. It is, therefore, important to take care of your gums and to take remedial action when they are sore. Let’s take a look at the different reasons for sore and painful gums.
Gum Disease
When your gums are inflamed, red, or bleeding, chances are that you have some form of gum disease. This often happens when you don’t maintain proper dental health by brushing your teeth at least twice a day or flossing. This condition may take some time before you may start to feel pain, so it is important to make sure that you take care of your oral health as a preventative measure.
When you ignore gum disease, your gums may move away from your teeth to create little pockets. Food can then get stuck in these pockets, get infected, and cause halitosis. The bone in your gums that holds your teeth may also deteriorate which can lead to tooth loss.
Canker Sores
Red spots on your gums that has a white coating are usually canker sores. Usually, your immune system will take care of these gum sores and they will in all likelihood go away within two weeks. If they don’t go away within a week or two, schedule an appointment with a dentist near you for an examination and remedy.
Dipping Tobacco
If you regularly use dip or other forms of tobacco, it can cause damage to your gums. If you use these products and you start to experience gum pain, it may be due to sores that form on the inside of your mouth and on your gums. Your gums can also pull away from your teeth and it can even lead to oral cancer.
Tooth Abscess
An infection in the root of your tooth can cause your gums to be sore. Your infected tooth root may form a puss pocket and your gums may become swollen. In some cases, your gums may be painful, especially when you are chewing or applying pressure in the tooth. In most cases, this condition is treated with a root canal.
Puberty, Pregnancy, and Menopause
Hormones can often make a woman’s gums feel sore. This is because of blood flow to the gums. In many cases, surging hormone levels can cause gums to bleed, swell, or change colors.
Oral Cancer
It is important to stay on top of your dental hygiene for many reasons, but also so that you will be aware of sores that form on your gums that may be cancerous. These sores are typically not painful at first, but if they become sore and don’t heal, you will have to take remedial steps. To reduce your risk of oral cancer, try to stay away from tobacco products.
Conclusion
Gum conditions can, in many cases, be prevented by maintaining good oral health. By simply brushing your teeth and flossing every day and paying a visit to your dentist in Chestermere once every six months, chances are you will never have to deal with sore gums.