It’s important to visit your dentist if you spot any early signs of gum disease, so they can take steps to rectify the issue as quickly as possible. However, if you’re unable to find an appointment quickly, you may consider several gum disease treatments at home to prevent the condition from getting worse.
Gum disease (otherwise known as periodontal disease) is one of the most common oral health issues in the UK, with the NHS estimating that most adults suffer from the disease. Because of how widespread the condition is, we’ve created this guide to give you a greater understanding of how you can manage gum disease at home.
If you’ve already undergone formal treatment for gum disease and you believe your dentist may have acted negligently, you may be eligible to open a dental negligence claim.
To get started, please contact our expert team here or call us for free at 0800 152 2032.
Gum Disease: An Introduction
Gum disease is extremely common, which means there is a possibility that you might have developed a form of the condition, even if it’s classed as mild gum disease. Advanced stages of the disease can also lead to more serious health issues, with gum disease sufferers being two to three times more likely to have a heart attack than people without the condition.
Gum disease is an oral health issue that leads to your gums becoming swollen, sore or infected. In the early stages of the disease, it’s usually known as gingivitis, developing into a more serious condition called periodontitis if not treated appropriately. Once it gets to a certain point, gum disease can become irreversible, so it’s important to make note of the symptoms of the condition as soon as you become aware of them.
Recognising the Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease
There are several early signs that can indicate gum disease:
- Bleeding gums after flossing/brushing your teeth
- Red and swollen gums
- Regular gum infections
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Loose teeth and difficulties with chewing
- An unpleasant taste in the mouth
Of course, every situation is different and your symptoms may differ from the ones listed above, particularly if you’re still in the early stages of the condition. If you’ve noticed any of these symptoms, you should speak to your dentist to get a diagnosis.
If gum disease is left untreated, the following complications can arise:
- Receding gums
- Permanent damage to the teeth, jaw and gums
- Loose or wobbly teeth
- Serious gum infections
- Heart disease and other health risks
However, having some of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have gum disease. For example, gum disease pain may feel similar to pain caused by other oral health conditions, so it’s important to speak to your dentist for a professional diagnosis.
The Big Question: Can You Treat Gum Disease at Home?
The good news is that you can treat gum disease at home, depending on how advanced the health condition is. In the early stages (such as gingivitis), your dentist may recommend following a strict oral hygiene regimen, including brushing your teeth twice a day with regular flossing.
Companies manufacture specific gum disease toothpaste and mouthwashes like Corsodyl, which may help reduce plaque build-up. However, whilst you can use these remedies at home, it’s still important to speak to your dentist to see what treatments they recommend.
The Importance of a Professional Diagnosis
Whilst you can treat gum disease at home, you should still get a professional diagnosis completed by a dentist if possible.
Not only will they be able to tell you definitively whether you have gum disease, but they’ll also be able to recommend the appropriate treatment and give you information about which stage of periodontal disease you have.
Your oral health can also have a major impact on your overall physical health, as people with poor oral hygiene may have an increased risk of:
- Strokes
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Respiratory diseases
- Giving birth to a premature baby
Without proper diagnosis and treatment, gum disease can lead to tooth loss and other, more serious health conditions, showing just how important a professional diagnosis is.
Effective Home Remedies for Treating Gum Disease
Whilst your dentist should always be your first port of call if you have any oral health conditions or concerns, there are several home remedies you can use to help with your gum disease symptoms. As previously stated, using specially formulated gum disease toothpaste and mouthwash may help to limit the damage done by periodontal disease.
Home remedies that may help you treat gum disease include:
- Salt water: Salt water is an effective option for treating oral health conditions as it’s a natural disinfectant. Gargling salt water can eliminate bacteria and heal inflammation, causing fluids to move away from the affected area.
- Hydrogen peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is a mild antiseptic, helping to prevent dental infections and kill off bacteria. 1.5% solutions of hydrogen peroxide can be purchased from many pharmacies, for use in disinfecting the mouth. However, as hydrogen peroxide can be dangerous, you must try not to swallow it.
- Aloe vera: Research has been carried out which suggests that aloe vera is effective at diminishing plaque and gingivitis, as well as reducing the chance of bleeding gums. However, it’s important to purchase the right type of aloe vera, as only a few species of the plant are useful for dental care.
- Mouthwash: Mouthwash can also be useful for keeping your teeth clean – particularly an antiseptic mouthwash. You can also purchase mouthwashes containing aloe vera or tea tree oil, which may be as effective as using an antiseptic chlorhexidine mouthwash.
- Drink green tea: Green tea contains several antioxidants which have been shown to have useful properties, including significantly reducing swelling around the gums. The polyphenols contained in green tea can also help to prevent gum disease, as they slow down the bacteria in your mouth.
However, whilst these home remedies may help to prevent gum disease, it’s important to speak to your dentist as well, so they can assess the condition and advise whether further treatment is required.
The Role of Proper Brushing and Flossing
Of course, whilst home remedies can be useful in limiting the effects of gum disease, proper brushing and flossing are much more important. You should brush your teeth twice a day with an electric toothbrush (once in the morning and once in the evening), and flossing should also be carried out regularly.
Both brushing and flossing help to remove plaque and bacteria from your mouth, which is the primary cause of gum disease. Bacteria can reproduce quickly, so you must follow a consistent oral hygiene routine.
Your dentist may recommend scaling of your teeth and other cleaning treatments to remove plaque and calculus from your teeth (if required). If plaque is not removed regularly from your teeth, it will harden and turn into tartar. Once tartar starts to build up, it can be difficult to brush and floss as normal, so it’s important to see your dentist to get it removed.
The Importance of Diet and Lifestyle Changes
Another aspect to consider is your diet and lifestyle, as these factors can have a major impact on your oral health and the likelihood of you developing periodontal disease in the future. Eating a healthy diet consisting of whole foods that are rich in minerals and vitamins will help to reduce the risk of developing gum disease and other oral health conditions. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also preferable to food containing processed carbohydrates and sugar.
If you’re a smoker, you’ll be aware smoking tobacco affects your oral hygiene, but it can also lead to serious health issues, such as cancer, strokes and emphysema. Your dentist will advise limiting your alcohol consumption, as alcohol can increase the risk of gum disease and worsen the condition if you already have it. This is because alcohol has a negative effect on the immune system and decreases saliva production in the mouth which can make it easier for bacteria to spread.
When Home Care Isn’t Enough: The Risk of DIY Dental Work
There have been rare cases of individuals conducting their own DIY dental work at home and as it’s becoming increasingly hard to find access to a dental appointment you may resort to trying and treating oral health conditions yourself. Whilst you can use the home remedies listed above, we do not recommend conducting surgery of any kind yourself.
You can apply home remedies and cleanse your mouth effectively at home, but you should never attempt anything more serious, such as extracting a tooth or fitting a crown. DIY dentistry can have incredibly severe ramifications and may lead to more serious issues if surgery is not carried out by a trained professional.
When Should You Seek Out Professional Dental Care?
Once gum disease has progressed past the early stages of gingivitis, you will need to visit a dentist. However, we recommend keeping up with the oral hygiene tips above, as you can still manage the condition and prevent it from getting worse.
You’ll likely require more frequent dental appointments to check the status of the condition, of which your dentist should advise you. Your dentist should also inform you of the correct steps to take for your treatment – if they fail to provide adequate treatment and this leads to your disease getting worse, you may be able to open a dental negligence claim. If your dentist fails to diagnose the early signs of gum disease and the condition develops further, you could also be eligible for a failure to diagnose dental negligence claim.
If your gum disease develops into periodontitis (a more serious form of the condition), you may be referred to a periodontist who can help you rebuild your gums and prevent them from receding.
Finding a New Dentist: Our Top Tips
In recent years, concerns have been raised about the current shortage of NHS dentists, leading to a certain proportion of the population going without treatment for long periods of time. Whilst some private dentists have spaces available for new patients, they’re usually more expensive than NHS practices, leading to many people going without adequate dental care each year.
Certain parts of the country have been classified as ‘dental deserts’, which means that none of the NHS dentists within those areas are taking on new patients. This has led to a prominent decline in oral hygiene in pockets of the UK, with 4 out of 5 dentists noting increased rates of tooth decay across the nation.
If you’re struggling to find a dentist local to you, these tips may help:
- Don’t change dentists unless you have to: If you’d like to change dentists but you’re unsure whether you’ll be able to find a new one, you may want to consider staying with your current dentist until you can source a different one.
- Use the NHS service finder: The NHS offers an online service for sourcing new dentists, which could help you find a good dentist in your local area.
- Contact NHS England: If you’re unable to find a dentist through the NHS’ online service, you can call NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 2233. NHS England is the organisation that commissions dentists in England – they have a duty of care to source both routine and urgent dental services for people in their locality.
- Contact Healthwatch: Your local Healthwatch may also be able to help you source a local dentist.
Have You Suffered from Dental Negligence During Gum Disease Treatment?
There are several ways in which you can effectively perform gum disease treatment at home – particularly if you’re still in the early stages of the condition.
However, we would still recommend speaking to your dentist if you notice the early warning signs of gum disease, so you can ensure you’re getting the most effective treatment for your needs. If you’ve already had treatment carried out and you suspect you’ve endured dental negligence, you may be able to open a personal injury claim against your dentist.
At the Dental Law Partnership, we’re an experienced team of dentists and solicitors, using our expertise to seek justice for every client who works with us.
To find out more about how we can help you, please request a callback here.