Notes in the treatment and prevention of gingivitis

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Le Thanh Cam - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. Uncle has 15 years of experience in diagnosis & treatment of pediatric diseases; She used to work at the Pediatric Department - Da Nang Hospital and Da Nang Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology. Her strength is diagnosis and treatment of pediatric diseases; resuscitation, pediatric emergency.

Gums (gums) that are red, painful, easy to bleed and with bad breath are a sign that your baby is suffering from gingivitis. The cause of gingivitis is bacteria in plaque or tartar that persists in the mouth for a long time. Some notes below will help parents in the treatment and prevention of gingivitis for their children.

1. Gingivitis and its treatment

Each of us can get gingivitis, depending on the amount of plaque bacteria that persists, the more severe the degree of gingivitis. If the patient is subjective and arbitrarily goes to the pharmacy to buy medicine, the disease will not be cured completely. So when you have gingivitis, depending on the severity of the disease, you should consult a doctor for effective medication.
Especially in young children, it is very important to treat gingivitis for babies. If gingivitis is not treated promptly and definitively, it will become periodontal disease, affecting the overall health of the patient.
To be effective in the treatment of gingivitis, it is necessary to remove dental plaque and tartar. In some mild cases of gingivitis, you can treat your baby at home with proper oral hygiene such as using a toothbrush, tongue scraper, floss, and mouthwash. These are inexpensive but highly effective measures. In case the baby has a lot of bleeding gums, severe disease, the doctor will prescribe the baby to use drugs to treat gingivitis in children.

2. How to treat baby gingivitis at home?

Here are some home remedies for gingivitis using a mouthwash made from natural ingredients:
2.1 Use a salt water mouthwash Salt water can help soothe inflammation, Relieve pain, reduce infection, remove leftovers, improve breath odor. You should let your child gargle with salt water 2-3 times a day. However, using salt water too often or staying in it for too long can cause enamel to wear down due to the acidic salt solution.
2.2 Use a mouthwash with coconut oil Coconut oil works to whiten teeth, freshen breath, relieve headaches, stress and clear sinuses. Gargling with coconut oil contains lauric acid, which increases its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. However, experts advise that children should not swallow coconut oil because after gargling, coconut oil contains toxins and bacteria from the mouth that move in.
2.3 Use a mouthwash with lemongrass essential oil Lemongrass essential oil is very strong, so you should dilute lemongrass essential oil to be safe and not cause further irritation to your baby's gums.
2.4 Use aloe vera mouthwash Apply this 2-3 times per day. Note, parents should buy aloe vera from a reputable seller and follow the instructions on the label when using. Children who are allergic to aloe should not use this mouthwash.

2.5 Use a mouthwash with tea tree oil You can have your child repeat this 2-3 times a day or add 1 drop of tea tree oil to the toothpaste when brushing. Concentrated tea tree oil can cause an allergic reaction, causing a rash or mild heat. It can also interact with some medications, supplements, and herbs, so parents should be careful when using this essential oil on their baby.
In addition, mouthwash with turmeric gel, sage, clove leaves, Arimedadi oil, guava leaves is also highly effective in treating gingivitis

3. Some drugs to treat gingivitis

Mouthwash is the first priority measure in the treatment of gingivitis. Besides mouthwashes that can be made at home as mentioned above, you can give your child a mouthwash solution containing antibacterial agents such as chlorhexidin, hexetidine, zin gluconate, chlorinedioxide... Clean the oral cavity, remove plaque and bacteria from the mouth.
When gingivitis has become serious, the doctor will appoint the patient to use antibiotics, including:
Group of antibiotics (beta-lactam, macrolide...) : Effective in killing resident bacteria resides in the gums, commonly used in the treatment of gingivitis. The combination of spiramycin (a macrolide antibiotic) with metronidazol (an antibiotic that kills anaerobic bacteria), is effective in the treatment of a number of oral diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, dental caries. ...; Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, diclophenac, meloxicam...): Helps reduce the symptoms of swelling, redness, pain caused by gingivitis; Corticosteroid drug group (prednisolone, dexamethasone...): Has strong anti-inflammatory properties, effectively treats symptoms of swelling, redness, sore gums; Common pain relievers (paracetamol, aspirin...): Often used to relieve pain caused by gingivitis. Do not use aspirin for cases of hemophilia, dengue fever.

4. How to prevent gingivitis?

Children are the most susceptible to gingivitis, because this is a hyperactive age, likes to eat sweets and candies, but often forgets about oral hygiene. Parents should take the initiative to pay attention and remind children to have good oral hygiene habits to prevent gingivitis. Some notes to help prevent gingivitis in children:
Keep oral hygiene clean by brushing teeth before and after going to bed, after each meal. For children under 3 years old, you can use gauze wrapped around the index finger, rub the child's teeth and gums;

When the child's breath has a bad smell, the mouth has an unpleasant odor and there is pus between the teeth and gums, you should check the baby's toothbrush and take the child to the medical facility as soon as possible; For children to have regular dental check-ups every 3-6 months, take tartar for them after each dental visit to help detect gingivitis early in children. In the treatment of gingivitis in children, do not arbitrarily give drugs to children without a doctor's prescription. The arbitrary use of drugs, the wrong type and the right dose can make the disease worse, cause the phenomenon of drug resistance, leading to the disease recur many times. Therefore, when home remedies for gingivitis are not effective or when children have serious symptoms, parents should immediately take their children to see a doctor for proper and timely treatment indications. To protect your child from factors that affect his health, you need to monitor and take him to a doctor when he shows unusual symptoms.
For children to be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiency causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption,... If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
Please regularly visit Vinmec.com website and update useful information to take care of your child. Take care of the baby and the whole family.