It is imperative to see dentist immediately if you have chronic gingivitis as the condition is caused by an infection that may soon spread and ultimately cause the loss of your teeth. Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease and tends to have relatively minor symptoms, including:

• Bleeding gums, especially during meals or when brushing
• Inflamed or reddened gums
• Gums sensitive to touch
• Bad breath

 

Periodontitis is a more serious form of gum disease that develops when chronic gingivitis treatment failed and the infection spread below the gum line. However, even a mild case of gingivitis is important to remedy because a simple infection of gingival tissue could lead to bigger problems than tooth loss such as increased chances for coronary artery disease or even stroke. Using the best oral hygiene measures such as brushing regularly at least twice a day and taking care to floss in between teeth is great prevention against gum disease and gingivitis.

 

However, it is likely that chronic gingivitis is the result of tartar forming on the teeth. The origin of tartar is actually plaque which is that sticky but invisible film that all awaken with every morning. This layer of plaque is actually filled with harmful anaerobic bacteria which are the true cause of the infection that leads to gum disease and gingivitis problems. Once tartar forms, a thorough teeth cleaning will be necessary to remove the hardened layer where the bacteria hide followed by good oral hygiene practices or else the gum disease and chronic gingivitis problems will return.

 

However, should the gingivitis treatment utterly fail or simply does not occur, the anaerobic bacteria may progress below the gum line where they will cause periodontitis, an advanced form of gum disease. Bone and gingival tissue will begin to disintegrate as the toxins from the infection dissolve gums and teeth. As the condition progresses and more of the gingival tissue is dissolved, you may actually begin to notice that more of each tooth when looking in the mirror.

 

In the end, gingivitis and periodontitis problems do not simply go away on their own. Unless an antimicrobial treatment is administered, the infection will continue to destroy gum and bone tissue until the teeth loosen and fall from the mouth. At this point, the infection then may spread to your jaw bone and/or to your blood stream.

 

Once the bacteria are in the blood stream, they can quickly infect other systems in your body. Nearly half of all patients with Infective Endocarditis, a condition where the valves and chambers of the heart become infected and may lead to growths that break off and lead to increased chances of heart attack and stroke. To prevent such problems, advanced periodontal surgery will be required once chronic gingivitis treatment has failed and the bacteria have spread to the gingival and bone tissue. Gingivitis and periodontitis can be cured with advanced periodontal treatments like:

• Crown lengthening
• Soft Tissue Graft (when root becomes exposed due to receding gums)
• Pocket Reduction
• Regeneration

 

Gingivitis treatment becomes more complicated than a simple teeth cleaning once the bacteria spread below the gum line. Even before that point, serious conditions like acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis may develop which can be painful to endure and complicated to effectively treat. But prior to that point, chronic gingivitis is fairly easy to treat with some good oral hygiene and a teeth cleaning.