Gingivitis Causes - Symptoms

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Causes
Gingivitis is considered to be a bacterial infection of the gums. The exact reason why gingivitis develops has not been proven, but several theories exist.

For gingivitis to develop, plaque must accumulate in the areas between the teeth. This plaque contains large numbers of bacteria thought to be responsible for gingivitis. But it is not simply plaque that causes gingivitis. Almost everyone has plaque on their teeth, but only a few develop gingivitis.

It is usually necessary for the person to have an underlying illness or take a particular medication that renders their immune system susceptible to gingivitis. For example, people with leukemia and Wegner disease have changes in the blood vessels of their gums that allow gingivitis to develop. Other people with diabetes, Addison disease, HIV, and other immune system diseases lack the ability to fight bacteria invading the gums.

Sometimes hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy, puberty, and steroid therapy leave the gums vulnerable to bacterial infection.
A number of medications used for seizures, high blood pressure, and organ transplants can suppress the immune system and change the structure of the gums enough to permit bacterial infection.


Symptoms
Swelling, redness, pain, and bleeding of the gums are signs of gingivitis.

The breath begins to take on a foul odor.

The gums begin to lose their normal structure and color. The gums, which were once strong and pink, begin to recede and take on a beefy red, inflamed color.

Inflammation-a complex system by which bacteria-fighting cells of the body are recruited to an area of bacterial infection-plays a major role in gingivitis. It is this inflammation of the gums that accounts for most of the symptoms of gingivitis.

When bacteria first begin to invade the gums, proteins present in the saliva and soft tissues called antibodies coat the bacteria and weaken it, making it an easy target for the body's immune system. The cells that encounter the bacteria first attempt to kill it and, in the mean time, release chemicals into the bloodstream to call other cells to their aid.

One particular cell called a macrophage is responsible for ingesting the bacteria and dissolving it with chemicals. This system works nicely, but it is not terribly efficient. While the invading bacteria are destroyed, chemicals used by the immune system cells to kill them are spilled into the surrounding tissues. This not only kills the bacteria but damages the nearby connective tissues and cells of the gums as well.

The body sees this inflammation as a small price to pay for stopping the bacteria. This process will continue until the source of the infection is removed.