Gum Infection Home Remedies

Gums, also known as 'gingivae', are fibrous tissues that form the base of the teeth and support them. When these tissues are attacked by bacteria, the person is said to have gum infection. One of the most common types of gum infection that affects people is gingivitis. If this is not treated at an early stage, chances are that it will go to the next stage of gum infection, which is known as periodontitis. Other than bacteria, gum infection can also be caused due to nutritional deficiency, alcohol abuse, smoking cigarettes, use of tobacco, etc. People who take oral contraceptive pills, steroids, etc. and those who take drugs for treatment of diseases, like cancer are also at a high risk of developing infection in the gums.

When a person has a gum infection, he/she is most likely to experience symptoms like swollen gums, redness, chronic bad breath, tender or bleeding gums, toothache, etc. If you face any such symptoms, a dentist should be consulted immediately, who can recommend proper gum disease treatment. Along with the gum infection antibiotics that the dentist gives, one can also try some of these gum infection home remedies that can help relieve these gum infection symptoms.

Home Remedies for Gum Infection

Salt Water
Gargling or rinsing your mouth with saltwater is a great way of relieving the pain caused by gum infection. Take a glass of lukewarm water, mix two teaspoons of salt to it and swish the solution in your mouth. Continue this procedure twice daily till the pain subsides completely.

Clove Oil or Cinnamon Oil
Clove oil as well as cinnamon oil, is said to be a great remedy for gum infection treatment, especially for the pain caused by it. You can apply one of these oils on the area of the gum that is infected. Applying a paste made of clove oil and peroxide on the infected gum with a cotton ball can also help. If you do not have clove oil, keeping a clove on the gum will also help in reducing the pain, as well as healing it. Drinking a mixture of cinnamon and warm water, two to three times everyday is also one of the natural gum infection remedies.

Garlic
Just like clove, even garlic is said to be a natural painkiller, that will help in reducing pain considerably. To use this remedy, you have to first crush a garlic clove, add a bit of rock salt to it and apply it on the gum.

Pepper
Even pepper along with clove oil can bring much relief to the discomfort caused by gum infection. If swelling occurs due to gum infection, applying an ice pack will not only help in reducing the swelling, but also the pain as ice is said to work as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Hydrogen Peroxide
To get rid of the bacteria that has caused the gum infection, you can use hydrogen peroxide powder. Take ½ spoon peroxide powder and mix it with ½ cup of water and rinse your mouth with it. Other than this, baking soda can also give relief from the pain and swelling caused by gum infection. Mix baking soda with water to make a paste and apply it lightly on the gums.

Lemon
Another way of treating gum infection is with the help of a lemon. Take a teaspoon of lemon juice in a small dish, mix it with salt and apply on the infected area of the gum. Drinking lemon juice made with warm water also helps in reducing gum pain.

Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has several health benefits, including the ability to cure gum infections. Take some Aloe Vera gel and massage it smoothly on the infected gum area. Consuming Aloe Vera juice is also an effective way of treating the problem of gum infection.

Apples
Experts say that eating apples is also a good way of curing infection, because they have certain nutrients that make the gums stronger and firmer. Hence, include apples in your daily diet and you will surely get relief from your gum problems.

Basil
Drinking basil tea thrice a day helps cure gum infections. Not many people drink basil tea, however, it's a healthy as well as tasty remedy. In order to prepare basil tea, purchase a packet of sweet basil. Rinse the basil and then carefully pat it dry on paper towels. Place a cup of water to boil and add basil leaves and stems to it. Allow the tea to steep for five to six minutes. Then using a sieve, filter the tea and add some sugar to sweeten it. The tea is ready.

Eucalyptus
Rubbing a few eucalyptus leaves or its paste on the gums, can help alleviate the pain associated with the gum infection. This is because eucalyptus has numbing properties, thereby being able to numb the pain. The swelling in the gums is also seen to be alleviated.

Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil consists of naturally occurring organic chemicals called terpenoids, which have antiseptic and antifungal properties. Moreover, its antibiotic properties make it suitable for gum infection treatment. However, before using tea tree oil, do consult your dentist. In general, one drop of tea tree oil is added to toothpaste before brushing. One should not swallow the oil while brushing. Moreover, gargling the mouth thoroughly after brushing should be done.

Chamomile Tea
Tepid chamomile tea when used as a mouthwash or just sipped as it is, can help provide relief from gum infection. It reduces the inflammation and also speeds up the healing process. To prepare this tea, just add a 2 to 3 spoons of chamomile flowers in a pot of boiling water (1 cup water) and allow to steep for 2 minutes. Your chamomile tea is ready.

These are some of the home remedies that you can follow to get relief from this problem. Other than this, you should also take good care of your teeth and gums by brushing and flossing regularly. However, as mentioned earlier, these gum infection home remedies should be tried only with the treatment measures prescribed by the dentist, as only professional help can cure gum infection completely.