How do I treat my swollen gums?

Question:

I have braces so brushing is not very effective anymore, and my gums are all swollen up. However, I floss (like the orthodontist told me to) and soak my mouth with peroxide (I heard it helps to get rid of bacteria), but my gums are still swollen.
Any advice?

Answers:
Did the orthodontist give you any proxabrushes? They look like little Christmas tree shaped bristles. These work great to get all the plaque out from around the brackets. Also using an electric toothbrush (like a Sonicare) helps massage the gums and remove plaque. Some of the inflammation could be from moving the teeth, if you had a lot of spacing and the teeth are moving closer. But usually it comes down to not removing all the bacteria. Ortho requires meticulous oral hygiene. I am sure I dont hae to tell you that all kinds of stuff gets caught around the brackets!!
I wouldnt rinse with peroxide for very long, long term usage can actually harm the tissue. Instead ask your dentist or orthodontist if they can give you a RX fro PerioGard, or if they have it available to purchase in office. This rinse kills bacteria better than any over the counter rinse. If you dont want to use that rinse try Breath Rx rinse or the new Crest Pro Health rinse. I would stay away from Listerine because it contains a lot of alcohol which actually dries the tissue.
Interested if you are experiencing a lot of bleeding along with the swollen gums. This is the telltale sign that it is due to bacteria and plaque more than movement of the teeth.
Key is brush, floss, proxabrush, rinse. Also try a waterpik that flushes bacteria and debris from around the brackets and gums.
Good Luck, remember it will be over eventually and then you will appreciate how much easier it is to clean your teeth without all that stuff!!

Other Answers:
you sound like one gross chick,,,,,

Soon they will get used to your teeth moving and they won't hurt anymore. I suggest you keep brushing though, to keep the plaque off your teeth.

Mix up A LOT of salt with hot water (as hot as you can stand it) and let it soak in your mouth. It'll taste horrid, but it helps release toxins through your gums.

Try rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. You know just add a little salt to a glass of warm water stir then rinse. My dentist use to have me do that when my gums were swollen. http://www.mamashealth.com/dental/tmouth.asp

Try getting more vitamin C in your diet through food or supplements to reduce the inflammation.

there is nothing that can be done
it is b/c of the braces, once they are taken off your swollen gums will dissappear If your gums are swollen and bleeding then this means that you have active infection going on and need to learn how to floss properly. My guess is you are prob. being very gentle when you floss because your gums hurt. You have to slide that floss along-side the tooth under the swollen gum tissue. Think of it as forming a "C" shape. If you are not wrapping the tooth and getting under the gum-line then you are not flossing properly. If you have braces then you should be using a floss threader with your floss to get the floss where it needs to go. Proxy brushes are good for people with braces, but you HAVE to floss everyday, with braces twice a day would not hurt. And as someone else mentioned a water pick can help, but again you have to use floss. There is not any dental aid that can do what floss can do. At your next ortho visit ask to be shown the proper way to brush and floss, don't be shy we can already can tell when you are not doing it correctly, hence swollen bleeding gums. Hold a mirror and watch them do it, and then you practice while you are there so they can see what you are doing wrong, that way there are no guesses as to what is the proper way to floss. If you start doing your oral hygiene the proper way then your sore gums should resolve in about ten days. As someone else said, warm salt water is good. It does not have to "be as hot as you can stand it" as you don't want to take the chance of burning your very sensitive gum tissue. Braces are a good thing, just think you will have a great smile some day soon, but you have to do the work now. Not flossing correctly can lead to a slew of other problems

More Questions and Answers

The consumer health information on youqa.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.

How do I treat my swollen gums?

Health Resources