Gingivitis
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Inflammation of the gum, usually as a result of plaque accumulation.
Cause
- Gingival redness and swelling
- Increased tendency of the gingiva to bleed on gentle probing, during tooth brushing or even on touch
ManagementTreatment
- Dental check up
- Scaling and polishing
- See following sections for specific types of gingivitis
Prevention
- Proper oral hygiene
Chronic Gingivitis
Inflammatory infiltrate in response to the accumulation of undisturbed dental plaque next to the gingival margin
Cause
- Mixed anaerobic and aerobic oral flora, e.g., Streptococcus viridans, facultative streptococci; fusiform bacteria, spirochaetes, viruses, fungi
- Chemicals
- Poor oral hygiene with increase in plaque accumulation
Clinical Features
- Swelling and erythema of the gingival margins which bleed on brushing
- Plaque and calculus (tartar) deposits adjacent to the gingival margins
ManagementTreatment
General measures
- Rinse mouth with mouthwash 3 times a day
- Warm salt solution (5 ml spoonful of salt in 200 ml warm water)
- Or hydrogen peroxide solution 6%, (add 15 ml to a 200 ml cup of warm water)
- Or chlorhexidine solution 0.2%
Medicine
- Paracetamol 1 g every 8 hours
- Child: 10-15 mg/kg every 8 hours
- Or Ibuprofen 400 mg every 8 hours
- Child: 7-13 mg/kg every 8 hours
If systemic signs and symptoms present, give a 5-day course of an antibiotic:
- Metronidazole 400 mg every 8 hours
- Child: 10-12.5 mg/kg (max 200 mg per dose) every 8 hours
- Or Amoxicillin 500 mg every 8 hours
- Child: Amoxicillin Dispersible tablets 25 mg/kg every 8 hours
- Refer to a dentist for scaling, root planning and polishing, to remove plaque and calculus deposits
Caution: Avoid metronidazole in 1st trimester of pregnancy