In a healthy mouth, our gums fit tightly around the teeth. An ordinary distance between the gum tissue and teeth is near about 1 to 3 mm in depth. Bacteria are always there to cause different oral health problems; you must stay on top of proper oral health responsibilities like brushing, flossing, and consistent professional cleanings.
Increased bacteria can cause plaque to form as a sticky material on the teeth. If plaque remains there on the teeth, it will develop tartar. Tartar is a hardened type of plaque that can’t be removed easily with the help of brushing. Such toxins ultimately expand on the gum line and teeth, irritating the gum tissue, known as gingivitis.
Periodontal disease is one of the causes of adult tooth loss and affects millions of people worldwide. This disease has been connected with health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and problems in pregnancy. Symptoms of gum diseases are supposed to be very delicate, so people don’t realize they have gum disease until it has a serious impact.
Gum disease can move towards deeper spaces around the teeth called periodontal or gum pockets. A gum pocket is a gap or space between our teeth and their neighbouring gums. If it is left untreated, there can be a problem of tooth loss. With the help of early diagnosis and treatment, there are brighter chances to keep the teeth healthy for a lifetime.
The top of the gum tissue doesn’t connect directly to the teeth, even in healthy gums. Instead, tiny spaces between the gum and teeth are called the sulcus. although most bacteria and food particles are cleared away with the help of brushing and flossing, they can be collected in the sulcus. Ultimately the process of gingivitis can take place, as we said before.
The irritation, as well as swelling due to tartar and plaque, can result in the formation of pockets between the teeth and gums. Due to this process, the once healthy sulcus becomes deeper as it has been diseased. Eventually, the gum pocket makes an ideal place for plaque, tartar, and bacteria to shelter.
Deepening of the pocket can cause further loss of bone along with an attachment of gum tissue beneath the gum line and wearing away the structures which hold the teeth in place.
Many people think that our teeth support directly by the bones in the jaw, but the true anatomy is more complex. Our teeth hold in place with the help of numerous small fibres which attach the tooth’s root to the bones. There can be damaged in such fibres or destroyed by bacterial infections stemming from untreated, periodontal disease. During periodontitis, pockets permit infection to increase, resulting in bone loss underneath the gums.
A 4 mm measurement is frequently the dividing line between a periodontal pocket and an ordinary sulcus. Though pocket depth is important, some other factors must be taken into thought at the time of diagnosing gum disease. Even gingivitis, where irritation hasn’t spread beyond the gum tissue, can lead towards a higher reading. It can happen when irritation causes the gums to develop swelling, which in turn, causes the dimension between the top of the gum tissue and the bottom of the sulcus to increase.
When other signs are visible, like gum bleeding, a measurement of 4 mm can well specify a gum pocket. Though, the dentist, in such cases, can consider a 4 mm space to be a sulcus as long as no bleeding is there. Conversely, an ordinary dimension like 3 mm space can be considered a pocket when bleeding, tartar and inflammation are present.
When facing a healthy condition, gingival tissue gets attached to the surface of the teeth and contains a light pink colour. When inflammation occurs in the gums, the colour changes to red. In such cases, it becomes easy to explore blood coming out when brushing and flossing, and the gingival tissue becomes tender and puffy. Due to gum disease’s various progressive stages, numerous gum pocket symptoms exist. But remember, not all of them happen in people affected by this oral pathology.
Many patients do not pay attention towards early symptoms of gum pockets due to a lack of discomfort and pain. Those affected with gum disease can notice signs like red and swollen gums, moderately bad breath, gingival inflammation or pain, and bleeding during brushing or flossing in the initial stage.
When symptoms get advanced, there can be pus within the gum pocket, loose or shifting teeth, or yellowish teeth base due to the accumulation of plaque and tartar. When gum pockets become very deep, beyond 7 mm, the infection begins to attack and harm the periodontal structures which support each tooth. You can also understand in another sense that three main parts work together to keep each tooth firmly in place: periodontal ligaments, alveolar bone, and gingiva.
Gum pockets are serious but not the end of the world. In many cases, it can be treated with the help of natural ways, like practicing good oral hygiene, making lifestyle changes and using home remedies. Such procedures, with the help of professional dental care, can be helpful in reducing the gum pocket, and there are brighter chances to improve oral health.
You need to brush your teeth two times a day on a regular basis to prevent gum pockets. Try to opt for a soft-bristled toothbrush, and don’t make hard attempts on the teeth. Try to make the process of brushing gently. It is because rough and hard brushing can be responsible for causing the gums to recede further. Brushing in both the morning and at night is helpful in removing bacteria and food that make their shelter in the pockets.
It recommends to advance for brushing after every meal, if possible. It will help prevent the area that requires healing from more food and bacteria exposure.
You can try to brush with the help of an electric toothbrush as it will be able to clean down deeper into the pockets as compared to the traditional toothbrush. Even floss can be implemented at such stages. Try to take a floss of near about 18 inches, then hold it between the thumb and forefinger in each hand. After that, insert it between the teeth with the help of a rubbing motion. It becomes crucial not to shatter the floss into spaces between the teeth because it can harm the gums.
There are some home remedies implemented for the treatment of gum pockets. You need to mix half to a three-fourths teaspoon of salt into about 250 ml glass of lukewarm water. Sip some water into the mouth, swish it for nearly 30 seconds, and then spit it out. Performing this natural treatment can clean out the gum pockets, and it will assist them in healing.
You can also take help from oil pulling. In this process, you will have to swish a small amount of oil, more likely coconut oil, around the mouth for cleaning. Just take 1 or 2 teaspoons, let them inside the mouth for 15-20 minutes and move the oil around the teeth at that interval. You can perform this process whenever intending to brush your teeth. Oil pulling is helpful in pulling bacteria and toxins out of the gum pockets. It eventually allows them to heal more effectively.
You can also make some lifestyle changes for treating gum pockets. If someone is suffering from this condition and has a smoking habit, their gums and teeth can have an adverse effect. Reducing the gum pockets will be better for a person to stop smoking.
Sugary foods like candy or soda are helpful in hurting the gums and can amplify the size of gum pockets. To save yourself from problems like gum pockets, reduce or cut them from the diet if possible. If cutting sugar on a complete basis looks like a hard task, you can make a healthy habit to brush after eating or drinking it. Not right after, wait for some time and then go for brushing. It is because if you brush when the acid is still present in the teeth. There will be chances of damaging the enamel.
You can involve healthy foods in your diet, improving oral health. More importantly, assist the body in reducing gum pockets. Things like leafy vegetables and lean fats like fish, fruits, and nuts are helpful in offering nutrients to your teeth. Try to eat anti-inflammatory foods like fish. It is because of gum pockets that are due to inflammation. That’s why such things will help in reducing it.
