Gingivitis

Clinical Description

Acute or chronic inflammation of the gums caused by infection from the accumulation of bacteria plaque around the necks of the teeth.

Signs and Symptoms

• Gum is red and swollen or puffy. Bleeds easily when touched. Diagnosis is mainly clinical.

Non-pharmacological

• Reinforce oral hygiene practices, i.e., tooth brushing at least twice a day to remove plaque; in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before going to beds
• Conventional therapy: scaling and cleaning to remove all tooth surface adherents

Pharmacological

• Advice on saline mouth washes or other antiseptic mouth washes twice a day until symptoms resolve
• Antibiotics are not indicated unless one has Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative

Gingivitis (ANUG)

• (ANUG) or Linear Gingival Erythema (LGE)