When it comes to taking good care of your oral health, an occasional bout of inflammation can throw your hygiene off track. When your gums are sore and swollen, making sure to brush and floss can be hard. Unfortunately, this can start a cycle that leads to more serious dental conditions such as gingival hyperplasia. Here’s what you should know about this condition.
What is gingival hyperplasia?
Gingival hyperplasia is also referred to as gingival overgrowth, gingival enlargement, and hypertrophic gingivitis. Regardless of its name, the definition is the same. An increase of cells (hyperplasia) in the gingival tissue (the gums) produces redness and inflammation.
This occurs most often in the gums of the front teeth but can also be present on the sides of your mouth as well.
What causes gingival hyperplasia?
There are four main causes of gingival hyperplasia, including:
- Inflammation caused by poor oral hygiene
- Drug-induced gingival hyperplasia
- Hereditary gingival fibromatosis
- Systemic causes
Inflammation caused by poor oral hygiene
Arguably the most common cause of gingival hyperplasia is poor oral hygiene.
When plaque is not removed from the teeth, it begins to accumulate, irritating the gums and causing inflammation.
Drug-induced gingival hyperplasia
Drug-induced hyperplasia is caused by over 20 different medications in three different classes (see more below). Taking these medications also has as an unfortunate side effect of swelling and inflammation in the gingiva.
In some cases, gingival hyperplasia does not develop when patients are very diligent with their oral hygiene, but this is not always so. For some, even scrupulous care is not enough to prevent gingival hyperplasia.
Hereditary gingival fibromatosis
This condition is rare, hereditary, and usually develops during childhood. Because hereditary gingival fibromatosis is slow-growing, symptoms may not present until adulthood.
In general, gums are not characteristically swollen or tender, but the gingiva overgrows the gums to such a degree that surgical removal may be necessary. This type of hyperplasia is recurrent and may necessitate repeated surgical removals.
Systemic causes
Systemic conditions may also be responsible for the development of gingival hyperplasia. The most common conditions include:
- Pregnancy
- Hormonal imbalances
- Leukemia
- HIV
- Diabetes
- Anemia
- Crohn’s disease
- Lymphoma
- Vitamin deficiencies
As with drug-induced hyperplasia, the chances of developing gingival hyperplasia in concert with one of the above conditions increases with poor oral hygiene.
Less common but still a possible cause, prolonged orthodontic work can also cause gingival hyperplasia.
What medications can cause gingival hyperplasia?
There are over 20 different drugs that can lead to drug-induced gingival hyperplasia. In particular, medications that most often contribute to symptoms include:
- Phenytoin
- Phenobarbital
- Lamotrigine
- Vigabatrin
- Ethosuximide
- Topiramate
- Primidone
- Nifedipine
- Diltiazem
- Amlodipine
- Felodipine
- Verapamil
- Cyclosporine A
The medications on this list fall into three classes: anticonvulsants, calcium channel blockers, and immunosuppressants. Many people rely on these medications to treat a variety of conditions, some of which are life-threatening.
Gingival hyperplasia is a common side effect, but there are ways to manage it as discussed later in this post.
What are common gingival hyperplasia symptoms?
Although everyone’s body responds to inflammation differently, there are some common gingival hyperplasia symptoms. These include:
- Red gums that are tender to the touch
- Inflammation
- Pain (to the touch but also when chewing)
- Bad breath
- Visible plaque buildup on teeth
- Gums that stretch over the teeth
Left untreated, the gums can swell to completely cover the teeth. This makes proper dental hygiene difficult and can result in serious issues like periodontal disease and gum abscess. Eventually the pressure of the gums on the teeth may affect tooth alignment.
For younger patients with gingival overgrowth, the eruption of adult teeth may also be affected. Swollen and tender gums may not allow proper eruption of teeth, resulting in complications as children grow up.
How do you treat gingival hyperplasia?
The first and most effective treatment is catching it early and improving your oral hygiene. Something as basic and simple as brushing properly and flossing regularly can help to prevent inflammation and may reverse very mild cases of gingival overgrowth.
In the case of systemic gingival hyperplasia causes, treating the underlying condition first is always crucial. That, coupled with better oral hygiene, may bring about remarkable improvements.
For drug-induced gingival hyperplasia, finding a replacement medication is often a first-line treatment protocol, or if that’s not possible, managing symptoms with other treatments.
Full-mouth disinfecting
Bacteria cause infection and inflammation in the gums that leads to swelling and other symptoms. This treatment’s goal is to rid the mouth of all of that bacteria.
Antiseptics are applied multiple times and have been shown to relieve symptoms and stop the progression of the condition.
Root scaling and planing
This treatment is also sometimes known as a deep cleaning treatment for teeth. If full-mouth disinfecting does not treat the symptoms of gingival hyperplasia, it may be because bacteria are still lurking beneath the gumline.
Your dentist will use specialized tools to remove all plaque and other inflammation-causing debris from all around the teeth, including beneath the gumline.
Surgical options
A gingivectomy is a more extreme treatment option that’s necessary for severe cases that haven’t responded to other treatments. This surgical procedure removes excess gum tissue and allows a dental surgeon to completely smooth and clean any areas of infection or inflammation.
Laser surgery has made this option less painful and quicker than traditional surgical methods. The wound is smaller, cleaner, and stitches are not always necessary.
One of your best defenses against gingival hyperplasia is a good offense. Brush your teeth properly at least twice daily, and floss once. Take the time to visit your dentist for a check-up and professional cleaning twice annually. Not only will your smile be more beautiful, but your dentist can also check your overall oral health, monitoring any changes.
If you are looking for a dentist in the Phoenix area with experience in treating (and preventing) gingival hyperplasia, give AZ Dentist a call today.