What is gingivitis?

Gingivitis is an inflammatory disease of the gums, which is accompanied by pain, swelling, and reddening of the mucous membrane. The word “gingivitis” comes from the Latin word “gingiva” – the gum and the word “it” – the inflammatory process.

The disease occurs when the pathogenic microbes, bacteria, and fungi accumulate, which are formed with poor oral care of cavity, gum injuries, or for other reasons. Gingivitis is considered a common disease but is more common in childhood and in pregnant women due to body restructuring and hormonal imbalance. The disease itself is not dangerous and curable, but in the case of a negligent attitude towards one’s health and lack of treatment, complications may arise – periodontitis with subsequent tooth loss, infection of periodontal disease, ulcers, and necrosis, development of hematogenous infections.

Forms of the disease

There are two forms of the disease: chronic and acute.

The chronic form is manifested in adults in spring, as well as in winter when there are not enough vitamins. Consequently, the protective functions of the body are reduced. This leads to increased bleeding and soreness of the gums.

The acute form is the result of injuries or burns of the mucous membrane of the gums. By the degree of gum lesion, there are two types – generalized and localized gingivitis.

Generalized – characterized by the spread of lesions across the oral area. Localized – is characterized by the defeat of a certain area of the gum or only one or more teeth.

Types of gingivitis: catarrhal, hypertrophic, atrophic, ulcerative-necrotic.

Catarrhal gingivitis – manifests itself in the form of redness, bleeding, and swelling of the gums. In this case, the patient feels itching, burning, and soreness.

Hypertrophic gingivitis – characterized by an increase in the dentogingival papillae. The disease is more common when there are endocrine disorders in pregnant women, adolescents, or proceeds against the background of diabetes mellitus. In the later stages, bleeding appears, pus is secreted, false pockets are formed, soreness during chewing whereby gum has a purple hue and there is an unpleasant smell from the mouth.

Atrophic gingivitis – characterized by a decrease in tissue and volume of the gums. As a result, the gum level decreases, and the tooth root is exposed. This leads to such unpleasant consequences as a painful reaction to cold or heat.

Ulcerative – necrotic – this is the most difficult stage of the disease. This stage is accompanied by ulcers in the oral cavity, increased body temperature, increased lymph nodes, severe pain, bad breath, and general malaise.

It is important to know that gingivitis can be both an independent disease and a symptom of other diseases, for example, periodontitis or periodontal disease.