Overview

The first stage of gum disease or periodontal disease is gingivitis. It occurs when germs, tartar, and plaque accumulate on your teeth. Gingivitis usually doesn't cause any major problems, but it may spread to other parts of the periodontium and lead to inflammation. Periodontitis can cause teeth to loosen.

Causes

The common cause of oral health issues is poor oral hygiene and bacterial plaque formation. 

Other risk factors include

• Hormonal changes

• Aging 

• Smoking 

• Family history 

• Diseases like Diabetes, leukaemia, HIV/AIDS, and Viral and Fungal infections.

• Certain medications like Anti epileptic, calcium channel blockers for Blood pressure, and Oral contraceptives increase the risk of developing gingivitis.

Symptoms

In the initial days, you may experience gum bleeding while you clean your teeth without any pain. Later on, you may experience symptoms like,

• Bad breath

• Red, swollen gums

• Sensitivity to hot or cold foods

• Tenderness or pain when chewing.

Ayurvedic View

Mukha paka- this disease affects all parts of the mukha (oral cavity). Here, paka refers to ulceration, due to prakopa (aggravation) of vata, pitta, and kapha dosha, resulting in ulceration; this is gingivitis. The Ayurveda approach is to correct agni (metabolism), vruna ropana (healing of ulcer), helping to prevent further progression of this disease by Ayurvedic treatment focused on oral health.