Gingivitis can lead to periodontitis, the most common cause of tooth loss. Learn to detect it in time and improve it with good habits and natural remedies.
As in our gut, our mouth has a microbiota with more than 700 species of bacteria. In this microcosm everyone coexists in peace, aerobic bacteria, anaerobes, fungi and viruses. This is called eubiosis, and when something is disturbed, dysbiosis appears.
Periodontitis are infectious diseases caused by the bacteria that inhabit the oral cavity. These bacteria are very numerous: in a millimeter of saliva there can be up to 100 million of them. Many of them are beneficial, but others are not and are the ones that can generate gum problems.
Prevention is essential to prevent a slight inflammation of the gum from leading to periodontitis. The natural treatment of this periodontal disease includes preventive hygiene measures, with specific rinses to remove bacterial plaque; the use of natural remedies with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties; and therapies such as photodynamics, which produces a great improvement.
PERIODONTITIS: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT ARE ITS SYMPTOMS
Periodontitis, also known as periodontal disease, is an inflammation of the tissues surrounding and holding the teeth caused by a severe gum infection. It is a silent pathology, which we do not realize, because there may be few external signs, and also the most common cause of teeth falling out in adults.
In a first phase, periodontitis is nothing more than a simple gingivitis, which can affect any age.
Gingivitis, a mild form of periodontal disease, is characterized by redness and inflammation of the gums in the area surrounding the teeth. This problem is totally reversible: as soon as the bacterial plaque is removed, the gum returns to its place.
However, sometimes some other symptoms appear such as:
- Bleeding gums for no apparent reason and when brushing.
- Sensitivity to cold and heat.
- Change in gum color.
- Receding gums.
- Enlargement of the visible part of the teeth.
- Appearance of separation between the teeth.
- Small phlegmons located.
- Bad breath.
- Gingivitis appears when, as the day progresses, bacterial plaque accumulates on the teeth. This happens if we do not perform proper hygiene.
- Then tartar is formed, a harder layer that protects bacterial plaque, which can continue to develop on the gum. In a few days the tartar ends up obstructing the ligament system of the teeth to the bone.
- On the one hand, the balance between good and bad bacteria in the mouth is broken. On the other hand, tartar deteriorates the ligaments and bone. Over time the bone disappears and teeth can fall out.
- The way bacteria act on periodontal tissue is by causing lysis, that is, a rupture of the cell membranes of that tissue that surrounds the teeth. What we call periodontal pockets are formed, a poorly oxygenated medium with an acidic pH that favors the proliferation of anaerobic bacteria. The most nefarious bacteria are called Porphyromonas gingival is.
CAUSES OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Periodontitis is a common problem. More than 50% of the population is affected to a greater or lesser degree by periodontitis. In addition to poor hygiene that favors the accumulation of bacterial plaque and then tartar, there may be other causes that favor it:
- Systemic diseases such as diabetes, thyroid diseases and immunodeficiencies.
- Hormonal changes such as in pregnancy and menopause.
- Elderly people.
- Genetic susceptibility.
- Oral breathing.
- Sleep problems, such as snoring and sleep apnea, as there seems to be a problem at the metabolic, endocrine, inflammatory and immune levels, since the lack of restful sleep produces an increase in the circulating rate of inflammatory biomarkers. Studies have been done relating the severity of apnea to the severity of periodontal disease.
- Smoking.
- Dental malpositions, which prevent proper brushing.
- Taking certain medications, such as immunosuppressants, antiepileptics, the pill or antibiotics.
- An incorrect feeding too acidifying.
- Stress, since there is an increase in cortisol at the salivary level.
- Depression, which leads to an abandonment of hygiene habits.
Periodontitis usually appears after the age of 30 and is characterized by more active phases of destruction, although it is a slow process.
In adolescence a juvenile periodontitis can appear that can sometimes evolve very quickly, so it is very important to insist on brushing at those ages.
We must also bear in mind that, in the current pandemic situation we are experiencing, there are several of the predisposing factors for periodontal disease: the use of the mask, stress, depression in certain cases …
In addition to tooth loss, periodontal disease can have other consequences, since it fertilizes an inflammatory terrain and also has the bacteria of the mouth circulating in the blood. We must not forget that our body is a whole. For example, premature births, cardiovascular diseases or rheumatoid polyarthritis can occur.
NATURAL TREATMENT OF PERIODONTITIS
To prevent periodontitis, it is very important that an exhaustive daily hygiene is carried out and, in addition, to do the biannual controls with the dentist in order to maintain a healthy mouth throughout life. This involves:
- Perform a good brushing of at least 3 minutes after each meal, with the use of dental floss and interproximal brushes.
- Clean the tongue where bacteria lodge at the time of brushing.
- Once tartar is formed, since it is hard, oral hygiene should be done by a professional and an assessment of existing bone loss.
- The indiscriminate use of conventional mouthwashes must be avoided, since, in addition to altering the sense of taste, they can alter the good flora both oral and intestinal. You can prepare your own natural rinse for daily cleansing.
As a treatment to prevent and treat periodontitis there are multiple possibilities, which can alternate. These are the most effective natural solutions against periodontal disease:
- Hydrogen peroxide with bicarbonate: Brush with a mixture of 3% hydrogen peroxide and 1 teaspoon of baking soda, once a day.
- Tea tree essential oil: Put 1 drop in the usual toothpaste or also rinse with 3 drops mixed 3 drops of olive or sunflower oil and spit it out after 3 minutes, before bedtime.
- Clove essential oil: Mix with the same amount of olive oil and apply with a massage on the inflamed area. It has antiseptic and analgesic properties.
- Propolis: Make rinses for their antiseptic effect.
- Oil pulling: It is a technique of Ayurvedic medicine that consists of making a deep mouthwash with a vegetable oil and of which you will find much more information in this article about oil pulling by Claudina Navarro. It involves rinsing with 1 tablespoon of sesame or coconut oil in the morning when you wake up. You have to have it for about 20 minutes in your mouth and walk it between your teeth and then spit it out. Be careful to spit it out on a piece of paper and then throw it away, because when it cools down it can clog the pipes.
- Omega 3: DHA and EPA are two polyunsaturated essential fatty acids of the omega-3 group that the body does not produce directly, so they must be ingested with the diet. They are found in oily fish, but we also have great plant sources of omega-3s, such as flax seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, chia grains… We should consume about 500 mg per day.
- Laurel hydrolate: It is a bactericide and antifungal very useful for rinsing.
- Aloe vera gel: Aloe vera promotes healing and renews collagen. It can be applied after the last brushing of the day and let it act overnight.
- Grapefruit seed extract: It can be taken as an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic, as it is a broad-spectrum antiseptic. One option is to take 15 drops in a glass of water in the morning. It can also be used as a mouthwash by putting 5 drops on a finger of water to rinse your mouth.
- Photodynamic therapy: It is very useful in periodontitis. It is about introducing into the periodontal pockets a photosensitizing agent and a particular type of light. With the energy of light, oxygen is released that acts against harmful bacteria under the gum. With this treatment you notice a great improvement, bad breath disappears and cavities are prevented.
- Homeopathy: In cases of acute gingivitis with bleeding, Mercurius solubilis 7CH (3 granules 3 times a day) is usually recommended; for inflamed gums with a bitter taste in the mouth, Kreosotum 7CH can be taken (3 granules 3 times a day); and for sensitivity to cold and heat, with dry mouth sensation, a common recommendation is Silicea 15CH (3 granules 3 times a day).
THE ROLE OF COENZYME Q10 IN CASE OF GUM DISEASE
Coenzyme Q10 is a molecule present in the mitochondria of cells that helps enzymes speed up chemical reactions.
It is found in most body tissues, such as liver, lungs, kidneys, gum mucosa, etc. In fact, as it is present in so many places it is also known by the name of ubiquinone (for the gift of ubiquity).
Among its different tasks, it is:
- Produce energy for cells.
- Act as a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals.
- Strengthen the immune system.
Thus, inflammation decreases and increases resistance to the bacteria that cause periodontal disease.
With age, less coenzyme Q10 is manufactured, so external input may be advisable. In periodontal disease it is also decreased.
Plant foods that contain more coenzyme Q10 are whole grains, nuts, hazelnuts, spinach, seaweed and sesame.
The one currently marketed is mainly produced in Japan, from a fermentation process of beets and sugar cane with specific strains of yeast growing in a medium with a very high index of coenzyme Q10.
As a treatment of periodontal disease, it can be highly advisable, without exceeding the recommended dose, and taking it continuously, provided that a professional controls the treatment.
The recommended daily dose should not exceed 100 mg per day for those over 40 years of age. It is usually taken in the form of ubiquinol, 50 mg daily, for 3 months. It should be consumed during meals for best absorption.
It can cause alterations in people with diabetes or high blood pressure. Other than that, there are no known side effects.
