Gingivitis in a child: the causes of the onset, symptoms and treatment of the disease

Contrary to popular belief, in children the main dental diseases are associated with gums, and not with teeth.And this is quite logical, since the baby's teeth are replaced in due course with time, but the gums of any person remain forever.One of the most common gum disease is gingivitis - an inflammatory lesion of the membranes on the gingival mucosa.

Gingivitis: a general description of the disease

The changes and damages caused by gingivitis in the oral tissues are reversible.The most important thing for the baby's parents is to timely diagnose the problem and prevent the gravity of the disease, and also to start treatment in time.A characteristic feature of the disease is that the inflammatory process with gingivitis does not affect the connection of the gums with the tooth, the periosteum, and also directly the dental tissues.

Causes of the disease

The main reason for the appearance of gingivitis in a child is almost always insufficient disease prevention and oral hygiene.

Often adults make the mistake of teaching their kids to brush their teeth, but they do not control the process in the future.The child, while not aware of the need for oral hygiene, sometimes turns the tooth cleaning procedure into an exciting but useless game of .As a result, plaque is formed on the gums and teeth.

This plaque on the child's teeth is an excellent feed for various bacteria, including pathogens.Breeding, a colony of microorganisms creates in the body a corresponding reaction - there is inflammation.

Although inflammation is considered a normal reaction of the body, which struggles with the negative effect, this fight does not pass without leaving a trace - the body begins to expend internal reserves, as a result of this, the inflamed tissues begin to deteriorate.

In this case, can be affected by the following factors:

• injuring the mucous membrane of the gums due to incorrect bite, burning hot food, chewing solid food;
• improper nutrition, lack of important vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C;
• hereditary location;
• diabetes;
• viral diseases.

Features of gingivitis

This disease is very common in adolescence and childhood.The reason for this is the high susceptibility of periodontal disease in toddlers.

Parodont - "design" of different tissues , which holds the tooth and supplies it with the required elements by means of a branched network of blood vessels.

The greatest chances of contracting gingivitis occur in secondary school age, at this time, a natural "hormonal explosion" is superimposed on the rapid growth of parodontal tissues.

Gingivitis also often appears in very young children, even in less than a year.This is quite logical, since one of the main factors for the appearance of gingivitis is gum injuries, this happens during teething.And to such natural trauma it is necessary to add still the weakness of the immune system and insufficient saturation of the oral cavity of the child with the necessary microflora.

In some cases, gingivitis can be observed even in infants.Adults need to immediately turn to a pediatrician if they detect any suspicious symptoms in such a tender age.

Another risk factor is the shortened bridle, which interferes with the normal hygiene of the gums and can contribute to the accumulation of food pieces.Most often, the bridle of the lip stretches itself, however, when this did not happen before the baby is 2 years old, the doctor prescribes a surgical procedure.

Symptoms of gingivitis

To prevent the development of the disease and start timely treatment, it is necessary in time and to correctly recognize the symptoms of the disease .The signs of gingivitis depend directly on the stage at which the disease passes:

• Marginal - a sluggish chronic type of catarrhal gingivitis.Has mild symptoms.Acute pain with this type of disease occurs infrequently, it can be just a strong itch, because of this the disease in the child often passes unnoticed - it is simply confused with a normal itching during teething.
• Catarrhal is the most common and easiest type of disease.This acute stage is distinguished by the appearance of characteristic dental deposits, puffiness and reddening of the gum margin, burning, itching.There is an unpleasant odor from the mouth.A toddler can complain about an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
• Hyperplastic, as a rule, appears during "hormonal explosions", which is typical for teenagers.This type of disease is characterized by a significant inflammatory process of the gum protrusions between the teeth - dentogingival papillae.Swelling, the papillae create sinuses near the base of the tooth, which often fill with an odor of pus.And the gums begin to bleed.
• Atrophic - the most severe stage of inflammation, the bases of the teeth are significantly exposed, the tissues of the gums are much thinner.The separation of pus and bleeding is abundant, strong painful sensations need drug-induced relief.
• Desquamative is characterized by a significant delamination and reddening of the gum cover.
• Ulcerous-necrotic - a serious stage of the disease.The child begins to experience burning and severe pain, bleeding sores appear near the base of the teeth.Symptoms of general malaise may occur - high fever, nausea, weakness.
• Hypertrophic is a chronic and severe form of hyperplastic gingivitis.Puffiness of the dentogingival papillae with this disease is so strongly pronounced that the crown of the tooth is almost completely concealed in the swollen gum.

If you do not receive timely treatment, then gingivitis in the child passes to the stage of profound defeat of periodontal - this is fraught with the loss of a large number of teeth.

How is gingivitis treated?

Treatment at the first stages of

Gingivitis in the first, not yet started stages( marginal and catarrhal gingivitis), it is quite possible to cure at home.

Treatment should begin with the relief of the baby's condition. will be able to help with the pain syndrome anesthetics, including various drugs based on lidocaine.For the treatment of a child, it is advised to use lidocaine-containing "Calgel".This gel-like drug is authorized for use even for very young children up to one year.It can also be used during teething in infants.

The use of bactericidal rinsers and ointments helps to get rid of pain and relieve the inflammation process for older children, for example:

• Eludral;
• Propol;
• Romazulan;
• Chlorhexidine.

Also very popular and frequently used drug is gel Holisal .This drug, in addition to anti-inflammatory action, also has a bactericidal effect.Anyway, before using vitamin medications and medications, especially during treatment of gingivitis in an infant, it is necessary to consult a dentist.

You also need to pay attention to the nutrition of the child: the food in this disease should not be very salty or sour, hot or cold.The main task at this time is to minimize the effect of irritating factors on the oral cavity.

After the pain is reduced and the inflammation is removed, a treatment is carried out to remove pathogens.To do this, often used antibiotic drugs, for example, Erythromycin, Metronidzol, Amoxicillin.

After the use of antibiotic agents, rehabilitation therapy necessarily includes the course of probiotic drugs , they allow us to replenish useful microflora and restore the natural bacterial background.

Treatment of hypertrophic and hyperplastic gingivitis

Severe stages are treated only in medical institutions.Treatment of hyperplastic and hypertrophic diseases, as well as their severe form, in addition to antibacterial interventions and anti-inflammatory therapy, sometimes includes removal from the gingival tissues of .Why use such methods:

• Ignition by current.It makes it possible to stop the swelling of the surface, and also stops bleeding.Cauterization is done by a diathermocoagulation method - the action on the tissue by current at an increased frequency.The process is characterized by soreness and is performed under anesthesia, therefore it is not suitable for children under 5 years old.
• Freezing.In the gum injections of sclerosing agents are injected: calcium chloride or dextrose solution.Injections of these drugs cause a cessation of pathological tissue enlargement and hardening of the dentogingival papillae.
• Gum truncation.It is used in very serious cases, if the treatment of the oral cavity of the child without surgery is no longer possible.The operation is performed under anesthesia and usually occurs without complications.Gingivectomy necessarily combined with cauterization or freezing of the gums, otherwise pathological growth may continue, and after a certain time, the truncation will have to be done anew.
• Chemical moxibustion.The ether is coated with a solution of sulfuric acid on the dry surface of the skin.

Treatment of atrophic and ulcerative necrotic gingivitis

Than a child who suffers from atrophic or ulcerative gingivitis will quickly get to the doctor, the better.At home, the child needs to to arrange rest and bed rest as , since general malaise can occur with a significant increase in temperature.

For severe bleeding gums, if the disease reaches the atrophic or ulcerative stage, it is not recommended to apply hard toothbrushes.In very severe stages from brushing the teeth will have to be completely abandoned, limited only to rinsing with special compounds.

Anti-inflammatory and antiviral treatment in these stages seems to have the same therapy as catarrhal and marginal gingivitis.Bleeding can be stopped by spot peroxide treatment.

The dead parts of the tissues near the ulcers are removed by the surgical or conservative method of by necrolysis of - non-surgical resorption.Necrolysis of dead tissue is carried out by applying to the affected parts of sodium chloride.

After removal of inflammatory process and wound healing, the child may need gingivoplasty - restoration of lost parts of the gum by transferring pieces of tissue from other parts of the periodontal.

Traditional methods of treatment

Excellent help during treatment of gingivitis is the reference to homeopathy and folk methods.In order to prevent the strengthening of teeth and diseases of the oral cavity, broths of sage, oak bark, motherwort, St. John's wort have been used for a long time.

Important: For the treatment of inflammation in children, the use of solutions based on alcohol and iodine is prohibited.

Popular methods:

• 3-4 gr.Mummy diluted in a cup of water, apply to rinse the mouth for the night.Another option for treatment with mummies: the same amount of diluted in a bowl of low-fat kefir.Hold for several minutes, then swallow.
• The composition of eucalyptus and sage leaves in the same parts is poured with boiling water in the ratio of 1 teaspoon of eucalyptus and sage to a cup of boiling water.Let it brew for 24 hours and drain.Use spoon before eating.
• St. John's wort oil.The composition can be prepared independently from the dry leaves of the plant, they can be bought at the pharmacy.A large spoon of crushed leaves is poured into the floor with a cup of vegetable oil and left overnight.Gums to treat with oil three times a day.

Prevention

The main means of preventing gingivitis, as well as other dental problems - oral hygiene .Since childhood, tame the child to brush his teeth for about 12-17 minutes, you must always pay attention to the inner surface of the teeth.Buy a child a preventive or curative toothpaste, make sure that your baby cleans teeth properly.To remove stubborn plaque on the teeth, you can use a brush with a hard nap.

Teach a child to use a dental floss to remove pieces of food from the interdental space.But keep in mind that the dental floss can also injure the gum, if it is misused, because it is undesirable to use dental floss for babies up to 3 years of age.

To date, dentistry does not approve the use of toothpicks for dental care, because when using them, there is a risk of injuring the gums of , while infecting.It is best to choose a dental floss.If the baby has already had tartar, it means that without a trip to the dentist can not do, he can remove tartar by the most gentle method.These simple rules can help prevent gingivitis and other periodontal diseases, as well as the undesirable consequences of these diseases for the teeth.