How to Deal with Sore and Sensitive Gums

 

Introduction

Do you ever feel pain in your gums? The health of your gums is as important as your teeth. The gums are designed to protect your teeth and prevent diseases from developing. Having sore or sensitive gums can range from annoying to painful. Mild gum sensitivity can lead to a stinging or painful sensation when eating certain foods. However, sore or swelling gums can lead to bleeding when left untreated. To deal with sensitive gums, one ought to know the symptoms and causes to determine the appropriate treatment or remedy.

Symptoms

Signs of having sensitive gums can range from mild soreness to severe bleeding. Causes may vary. They can be something as minor as injuries acquired during brushing or flossing or developing oral disease. We will discuss the common causes of sore and sensitive gums below. Flossing and brushing can bruise the gums and leave them sore and sensitive. Pain can be mild and may ease immediately while some can linger for a long time due to an underlying oral problem.

Causes and Treatment

Vitamin C deficiency can be one reason for the viscous pain, showing signs through bleeding and sensitive gums. To resolve this problem, one simply needs to increase their vitamin C intake.

 Smoking can lead to a lot of oral problems including gum problems. Sensitive gums are a symptom of a developing gum disease caused by smoking. This can lead to mouth cancer and an increased risk for lung cancer. This can only be addressed by quitting tobacco smoking.

Gum disease and oral infections can also lead to sore and sensitive gums. Gum diseases like gingivitis and mouth ulcers in their earlier stages would have sore and sensitive gums as one of the symptoms. Other symptoms of developing gum disease are bad breath and worsening pain. If you suspect a developing mouth disease, it is best to seek medical help as soon as possible.

Hormonal changes can also lead to having sensitive gums. This is a common occurrence among women during pregnancy and other phases of life. The increase of blood flow to the gums can make them tender and sensitive. So, as soon as the hormone level returns to normal, the pain should also subside. 

Dental braces and retainers are also a common cause of sore and sensitive gums. This becomes particularly common with newly adjusted braces wherein there is pressure applied to the teeth and gums to force correct alignment. This too should go away shortly after the teeth move to the corrected alignment. If pain and swelling persist after a few days, it is best to go back to your dentist to have your dental braces checked.

Oral Hygiene for Sore and Sensitive Gums

As discussed above, having sore and sensitive gums can be a result of something minor that would eventually go away such as hormonal changes and having newly adjusted dental braces. During this period, brushing your teeth might be a painful experience. Nevertheless, it is important to brush your teeth regularly to avoid other oral problems. You can ease your pain during brushing by using a toothbrush with softer bristles and using milder and gentler toothpaste. It becomes more important to brush your teeth to eliminate bacteria and avoid infection on swollen or bleeding gums. You can also use Aromatic Global’s 2-in-1 toothpaste and mouthwash for Gum Sensitivity for a solution to sensitive gums.