Home remedies for inflammation in gums
Gentle cleaning, salt-water rinsing, and removing irritants may calm inflamed gums, but the cause still needs attention.
The short answer
Gently brush along the gumline, clean between the teeth, and rinse with warm salt water to reduce irritation while you arrange an examination.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
Inflamed gums are swollen, red, tender, or bleeding gingival tissues. Plaque at the gum margin is common, but food impaction, tartar, a rough filling, smoking, hormonal changes, or gum disease can also contribute.
What can you do next?
Use a soft toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste twice daily and clean between the teeth with floss or an interdental brush. A warm salt-water rinse can be used briefly, and you should avoid tobacco, aggressive scrubbing, and placing aspirin directly on the gum.
When should you seek dental care?
Arrange dental care if swelling, bleeding, bad taste, or tenderness persists after careful cleaning, because tartar or periodontal infection may be present. Seek urgent help for facial swelling, fever, pus, difficulty swallowing, or difficulty breathing.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask whether the inflammation is caused by plaque, tartar, trauma, decay, or gum disease, and whether periodontal measurements or dental radiographs are needed. Ask which cleaning method and interdental size fit your gums.
Frequently asked questions
Can salt water cure inflamed gums?
It may soothe irritated tissue, but it does not remove tartar or cure an underlying gum infection.
Why do my gums bleed when I brush?
Bleeding often reflects inflammation from plaque, although trauma, medication, or other conditions can also be involved.