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Gingivitis. We’ve covered that in this little old blog of Dr. Egger’s before. But it’s always good to stay on top of gingivitis so that it doesn’t turn into full-on gum disease.

Here are the signs to watch for, along with how Dr. Egger beats up on gingivitis, not unlike the Hulk could beat up on Spiderman if he made fun of the color green.

Symptoms of gingivitis

As we’ve said before, gingivitis is an ad man’s dream. The term sounds scary. But all gingivitis means is “gum irritation.” Ooh. Let us run into the dark woods in fear!

Still, signs of gingivitis are signs that you need to pick up your home hygiene because plaque is making its way under your gums and probably is turning into tartar. That’s the road to gum disease.

Here are the signs of gingivitis:

• Changes in color— Gums should be like a big fat wad of Double Bubble Gum, nice and bright pink. They shouldn’t be red or shiny along the gum line. These signs indicate plaque or tartar has built up underneath the gums.
• Changes in feel— Healthy gums are moist to the touch and have a slightly bumpy surface. The edges taper down to lie flat against your teeth, forming the seal that keeps out bacteria. Inflamed gums are puffy and may be pulling away from the teeth. They may feel smooth, dry, and soft.
• Changes in shape— Gums should be scalloped along the edge that lies against the teeth. They should cover a symmetrical amount of the tooth roots on both sides of your mouth. When the gums start to pull away from the teeth, more of the tooth root is exposed, and this makes your teeth look longer and misshapen.
• Changes in odor— Bad breath and gingivitis go together like Dolly Parton and silicone. Plaque that you’ve left in your mouth with lackadaisical brushing and flossing is flourishing, and bad breath is the byproduct.
• Changes in spit— Your gums shouldn’t bleed. If you’re using a soft toothbrush and brushing the gums along with the teeth, there’s no reason for the little pink devils to bleed. If they bleed, the gums are telling you to wake up and take better care of them because they’re getting inflamed.

Beating down gingivitis

Dr. Egger is like the Hulk when it comes to beating up on gingivitis. Although we’ll cover the details in another blog, Dr. Egger uses root scaling, root planing, and prophylactic cleaning to show gingivitis who’s the boss.

Is it time for your next cleaning and exam? Call Dr. Egger at 989-773-3560 to make your appointment.