Are your gums sore?
At one time or another most of us will have had more or less sore gums. In fact it starts early, when we are babies and new teeth appear. Hardly anyone can remember that, but some will be able to remember that it was painful when their wisdom teeth erupted.
Painful gums can have different causes, but fortunately there are plenty of ways of easing the pain.
The primary cause of painful gums is gingivitis, and there may be several reasons why you in particular are affected by inflammation around your teeth. Of course, there are other causes of sore gums, which may be more or less of your own making or due to conditions in your body which are beyond your control.
Whatever the cause of painful gums, you can be certain that the pain is a message telling you to take action. Perhaps you should visit your dentist, or focus more on oral hygiene.
We can supply both toothpaste and mouthwash containing tea tree oil, which has many properties that can help you keep your mouth healthy. Read on for more details about what causes sore gums and the advantages of attractive products.
Symptoms of sore gums
You will hardly be in doubt if your gums are sore. However, there are some symptoms that call for action if you have them in your own mouth:
- The gums may be a darker colour than normal
- A throbbing sensation in the gums
There may be bleeding from the gums
What are the causes of sore gums?
There are a variety of possible causes of sore gums. Some are medical, while others are a direct result of your own habits. The primary cause is gingivitis, which especially results in sore, red, swollen and perhaps even bleeding gums. If you suspect gingivitis, you should consult your dentist.
Other causes may be:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Hormonal changes (e.g. pregnancy)
- Malnutrition
- Violent use of a toothbrush
- Blisters in the mouth
- Different types of medication
- Consumption of stimulants
How can sore gums be prevented and treated?
In fact it may be quite simple to treat and prevent sore gums. In many cases you can manage it yourself, while in other situations you should seek professional help.
Here we make some suggestions about how prevention and treatment can start. Let us begin by pointing out that it starts with good oral hygiene.
What can you do yourself to prevent or stop sore gums?
Good oral hygiene is the way to a healthy mouth. And oral hygiene is not complicated or full of difficulties. On the contrary. Here are three pieces of good advice about good oral hygiene and healthy gums.
Clean your teeth twice a day
If you make sure you clean your teeth morning and evening, you remove plaque from the surface of the teeth. Plaque is a layer of bacteria that forms naturally as a result of what we eat in the course of a day. If you do not remove the plaque every day, the bacteria will wander towards the gums, creating irritation and possibly gingivitis.
Use our toothpaste with tea tree oil, which is specially developed to prevent sore and irritated gums.
Remember to floss
Red and sore gums will disappear if you make a small but determined effort when it comes to oral hygiene. Many of us tend to forget the dental floss. Dental floss helps to remove the remains of food that stick between the teeth, which your toothbrush cannot reach.
Try, therefore, to include flossing with your daily toothbrushing. But be careful. It is very habit-forming.
Finish off with our tea tree oil mouthwash
When you have brushed your teeth clean, and thrown a way the used dental floss, you can round the session off with our tea tree oil mouthwash. The oil has an anti-inflammatory effect, and it also leaves your mouth with fresh breath.
What basically is tea tree oil?
Tea tree oil is an essential oil obtained from the Melaleuca alternifolia tree. It grows in subtropical areas in Australia, and the properties of the leaves have been exploited for hundreds of years.
The Aboriginal Australians used the leaves in poultices on infected wounds, because they were beneficial against inflammation. Today the oil is extracted from the leaves, and this has made many new uses possible.
We use tea tree oil in many different products, and now we can finally give you a chance to indulge your mouth with the magic of this oil. No more sore gums.
Professional treatment
If your gums are sore, you can often deal with it yourself, before it develops into gingivitis. Start with good oral hygiene, using products that contain tea tree oil, and you will very soon see results.
There may naturally be occasions when you should seek professional help from a dentist.
None of us can manage without having our teeth cleaned by the dentist. If it is a while since you last had your teeth scaled by a dentist, we recommend that you make an appointment. The dentist can remove scale and make sure the state of your mouth is optimal. When your mouth is clean, it is up to you to maintain hygiene.
Just as people are different, our mouths are different too. A dentist can help you to find out whether there are areas in your mouth that need more attention than others. Your dentist can help to make a plan for your oral hygiene.
More good advice for combating sore gums
They say you become what you eat. When it comes to your gums, your diet also plays an important part. Sugary foods and drinks place more strain on your oral hygiene, so you should therefore consider cutting down on your intake of sugar if sore gums are a recurring problem.
Smoking can also be the cause of painful gums. You should make an effort here, too, if your gums are often sore.
We live longer than ever before, and our teeth therefore have to last through a long life and help us to eat the kinds of food we need. Make sure you clean your teeth, but be aware that brushing too hard may have the opposite effect. Use your toothbrush gently, and always use our tea tree oil for extra dental care.
