Have you thought that you might have a symptom or two of gingivitis, but weren’t really positive? Sure, the gums might be a little red and swollen, but you’ve been brushing most days. When you aren’t too busy running around. If this sounds like you, you might want to make an appointment with your dentist and discuss those symptoms. If you do have gingivitis, you don’t want to wait until it is too late to do anything about it! The dentist can take one look at your mouth and be able to diagnose you with gingivitis right away or not.

Symptoms of Gingivitis
Depending on what stage of gingivitis you are currently suffering from will determine how many symptoms you have. The severity of each symptom could also vary, if you have moderate or advanced gingivitis. Symptoms include red gums near the teeth. The redness could be near one tooth or near several. The worse the gingivitis, the worse the redness will be.

If the redness progresses, there could be swelling and even bleeding of the gums developing. The swelling could be constant or it could come and go. The bleeding could happen during brushing or even while eating a meal. Other symptoms include loose teeth, sore gums when chewing, bleeding gums when eating and darker brown spots developing on the gums.

Where to get Diagnosis
If you think you have gingivitis, don’t self-diagnose. Head to your dentist for an immediate visit. They will be able to look in your mouth and offer a diagnosis in a matter of minutes just by looking at your gums. The dentist will probably ask a few questions about your dental health routine, your diet and even your medical history before they come to a conclusion. They can then discuss treatment to fight the gingivitis. Depending on how severe the gingivitis is, you may even need a follow up appointment to check on your gum’s health in the near future.

Getting Treated
The best way to treat gingivitis is to prevent it, using a complete daily oral care program. Treatment for gingivitis could include more brushing and flossing. It could also mean a specialized mouth rinse during the day so bacteria cannot buildup in the mouth between brushing. Another form of treatment might also include changing your lifestyle to include a better diet and getting more exercise. Lastly, treatment might include dental procedures to get rid of the damaged gum tissue so only healthy tissue remains.