Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria

Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums caused by bacteria. The bacteria get into the bone at the root of the tooth and destroy. The last stage is called periodontitis. It is one of the main causes of tooth loss for the entire population, and the main cause in the elderly.

Causes
The bacteria responsible for gingivitis hiding at the base of the gums where the teeth emerge. Many species of bacteria are responsible, but they are called universal plate. The plate is made of bacteria, mucus and thin particles of food. New bacteria are constantly and if they are not brushed in a space of about three days, they form a hard layer such as stone, called tartar. The toothbrush and floss can do nothing, only a dentist can remove it.

Some people are more exposed than others to gingivitis. Gingivitis particularly affects people with diabetes, AIDS or leukemia. Other factors associated with high risk of gingivitis are:

puberty
pregnancy
menopause
smoking
Vitamin C (scurvy)
lack of niacin (vitamin B3) (pellagra)
contraceptive pill
misaligned teeth braces or poorly adjusted (such as anchors or crowns)
Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to gum problems. Hormonal changes and tartar sometimes combine to produce an excessive amount of gum tissue. Sometimes a tumor is formed and bleed easily. It is a épulis pregnancy that has nothing to do with cancer. This tumor can obstruct certain areas at the base of the gums, allowing bacteria to multiply in safety.

Postmenopausal women may be suffering from a painful condition called desquamative gingivitis. For unknown reasons, the outer layers of the gums, teeth falling off and lose their strength. The disease can cause great pain because the nerve endings are often exposed.

Some drugs are also associated with gingivitis, including:

* cyclosporine administered against rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases
phenytoin, administered to control epilepsy and other crises
calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine, given against high blood pressure and other heart disease
Some viruses also infect the mouth. The virus most likely to attack the gums is the herpes. It creates tiny perforations and ulcers in the gums and other parts of the mouth. This disease is called gingivostomatitis acute herpetic stomatitis (in medical jargon, a stoma is a hole). It is only people who catch herpes for the first time in the mouth.

Symptoms and Complications
Typical bacterial gingivitis is a painless condition, even in case of bleeding gums. They become bright red and swell. They are less firm than usual and sometimes moving. They are likely to bleed during brushing and possibly during the meal. Sometimes they bleed at night.

In case of gingivostomatitis herpetic stomatitis, gums are also bright red. The disease is also easily recognizable because it is usually very painful. Dozens of tiny white or yellow sores visible on the gums and inside the cheeks.

On this scale at the base of the gums may be only the tip of the iceberg. It generally spreads between the teeth and gums, their separation and force moves into the newly formed cavity. The bacteria nestled in the crevices release chemicals that attack the bone that hold the roots of teeth. Those same chemicals can cause bad breath. The teeth are no longer kept firmly in position, fall or be extracted. This complication of gingivitis is called periodontitis. Surprisingly, it is often painless.

The mouth of the trenches, also called angina Vincent is a particularly severe form of gingivitis caused by a combination of two bacteria. A dentist can refer to it by its other name, that of necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis acute (GUNA). The disease causes rapid swelling, bleeding and bad breath. The gums are often gray and distorted. The buds (pointed to the gums between teeth) and have a flat area of dead tissue. The disease takes its name from the First World War, when it was often present at the soldiers in the trenches. It is usually found in smokers.

Gingivitis was associated with various health problems such as premature birth, lung disease, heart disease, stroke and heart attacks.