Do adults have itchy gums? Itchy gums between teeth? What does it mean? We will take a detailed look at why gums itch and treatment methods at Elident dentistry.
When a person's gums itch, initially he does not attach much importance to it. Cause for alarm arises when severe itching and purulent lesions appear in the oral cavity. If you do not seek help in a timely manner, such discomfort can become a sign of a serious illness.
In most cases, the reasons that cause itching in the gums are due to either the presence of chronic inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, or are associated with the entry of a particular allergen into the body. In both situations, it is necessary to start treatment in a timely manner to avoid possible complications.
The Elident clinic employs competent specialists who apply an individual approach to each patient. Our dentists have extensive experience and are ready to conduct high-quality diagnostics, determine the cause of the disease as soon as possible and give you an accurate answer as to why an adult’s gums itch. Thanks to the deep theoretical and practical knowledge of our staff, the use of innovative equipment and quality materials, we are able to prescribe the correct treatment and guarantee quick results.
In this article you will find detailed information about why gums itch in an adult, and you will also learn how to deal with this phenomenon. We will also tell you who to contact if you have itching and other unpleasant sensations in the oral cavity.
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Content
1 The main causes of itchy gums and itching
2 Inflammatory processes in the gum area - another reason to think
3 Chronic inflammation in the oral mucosa
4 Itching in the gums can occur due to poor-quality prosthetics
5 Allergies - itchy gums
6 Injury to the mucous membrane
7 Itchy gums during bruxism
Treatment methods
After a medical examination and identification of the exact cause, a treatment strategy for the disease is determined. Self-treatment in this case is strictly contraindicated, since improper use of drugs can only aggravate the patient’s condition.
- Allergic conditions . If an allergy is confirmed, then it is necessary to do an analysis to determine the exact allergen in order to then select the correct antihistamine (possibly Loratadine, Suprastin, Tavegil, Diazolin ). This is followed by adjustments to the diet to eliminate allergenic foods. When the cause of an allergic reaction is braces or crowns, they are replaced with others (a material is selected that is not capable of causing an allergy).
Carefully! Without confirming the diagnosis, you should not independently select medications to eliminate itching. Depending on the disease, only a specialist can prescribe a course of treatment!
Video - The whole truth about teeth
The use of folk remedies
To temporarily eliminate an unpleasant symptom, you can use folk recipes from alternative medicine. It is important to remember that the products should not be used as the main treatment. So, you can get rid of itching with:
- saline solution, which is prepared in the proportion of one spoon of salt per 200 ml. warm water. It is recommended to rinse the oral cavity twice a day until the symptom completely disappears;
- soda solution is no less effective than salt solution (prepared in a similar proportion). Apply once a day;
- You can minimize the symptoms of itching with the help of a herbal decoction (sage, oak bark and chamomile). To prepare it you will need one teaspoon of dry mixture of each herb per 300 ml. warm water. Bring to a boil, then cool and filter. The rinsing scheme includes three applications;
- vegetables can also provide some relief. To do this, you need to chew carrots and cabbage leaves.
Attention! Folk remedies can only temporarily eliminate the symptom, but cannot cure the disease.
Video - How to treat gum inflammation using traditional methods
Inflammatory processes in the gum area - another reason to think
One of the main causes of itchy gums in adults is associated with chronic gingivitis. As a result, the patient may experience the following adverse events:
- Bad breath;
- Bleeding occurs during hygiene procedures;
- The appearance of redness and swelling in the gum area;
- Cyanosis.
If itching in the teeth and gums is a consequence of periodontitis, then in addition to the above symptoms, the following may occur:
- Exposure of tooth roots;
- Discharge of pus from periodontal pockets;
- The appearance of mobility of dental units.
Itchy gums with periodontitis and gingivitis. What to do?
Initially, you need to contact an experienced periodontist. Since inflammatory processes in the gum area are caused by poor oral hygiene, which results in the appearance of various deposits on the surface of the teeth and gums. This allows you to get a clear answer to the question: “Why do my gums itch, hurt and bleed?”
This means that the main treatment procedures will be aimed at removing plaque and deposits from the surface of the teeth. Subsequently, therapy is prescribed, including the use of anti-inflammatory drugs (rinsing with antiseptic solutions, gel applications, etc.). That is, if itching of the gums occurs in adults, first of all you need to eliminate the causes, and only then begin treatment. Otherwise, anti-inflammatory measures will be ineffective.
Adults' teeth itch: causes and methods of elimination
Article verified by Dr.
Itching is one of the most unpleasant symptoms that can manifest itself not only on the skin, but, oddly enough, on the teeth. This phenomenon is observed quite often in dentistry. In fact, sensations are deceiving; the gum tissues around the teeth and mucous membranes itch. The nature of the appearance of itching on dental elements is very diverse, so each of the reasons must be considered in more detail.
Adults' teeth itch: causes and methods of elimination
Chronic inflammation in the oral mucosa
When a person has itchy gums, the reasons may be hidden in inflammatory processes that occur in the mucous membrane area. This is the second most important factor that explains why gums itch. This phenomenon is especially typical for smokers. The most common diseases of the oral mucosa include:
- Aphthous and herpetic stomatitis;
- Candidiasis and leukoplakia.
To exclude this process, you should periodically pay attention to the condition of the mucous membranes of the tongue and mouth. If you notice any blisters, spots or other rashes in the oral cavity, this indicates the presence of the above disease. Seeing a doctor is a prerequisite for recovery in this case.
It must be taken into account that the source of inflammation may be in visually inaccessible areas. Please note that when your gums are itchy, this may be a sign of cancer.
What to do?
First of all, you need to make an appointment with a dentist. The doctor will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the necessary treatment. Before visiting a specialist, you can relieve itching at home:
- Rinse your mouth with a decoction or infusion of chamomile. You can also use a Furacilin tablet to prepare the solution (1 tablet per glass of water).
- Drop sea buckthorn oil onto clean gauze and do a light massage in a circular motion.
- Make lotions from gauze and aloe juice. Apply to the gum for 5-10 minutes.
Before using these products, you must ensure that there is no allergic reaction.
Itching in the gums can occur due to poor-quality prosthetics
If removable dentures are installed, the cause of discomfort may be allergization of the body. This is due to the presence of a monomer in the prosthesis, which can cause an allergic reaction.
If your gums and teeth itch after fixing bridges and crowns, this may be due to galvanosis of the oral cavity. This may be due to the use of crowns made of a variety of metals. In such situations, both artificial boxes and removable structures must be urgently replaced.
Itchy teeth during pregnancy
In a girl during pregnancy, the cause of itching may lie in inflammation of the gums - gingivitis is considered a frequent companion of expectant mothers during pregnancy. Also, due to serious changes in the hormonal background, there is an intensive leaching of calcium from the body, which causes the enamel and hard tissues to weaken, and hyperesthesia develops. Itching sometimes has neuralgic background and can be a consequence of the development of dental diseases such as caries, pulpitis, stomatitis or, for example, periodontitis.
During pregnancy, there can be many causes of symptoms
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Preventive actions
- Eliminate sweets and flour products from your daily diet.
- Eat as much solid fruits and vegetables as possible (especially carrots and apples).
- Choose the right toothpaste that will care not only for dental tissue, but also for gums.
- Change your toothbrush every two months and use dental floss that contains fluoride.
- Brush your teeth only with vertical movements.
- Regularly use herbal infusions to rinse the mouth (use a soda-salt solution twice a week).
Allergy - itchy gums
If a person says that his gums are very itchy, this is not always evidence of a serious illness. A similar process can occur when taking any food products (chocolate, dyes, citrus fruits, spices, honey, etc.), or as a side effect when using toothpaste. In this case, it is better to stop consuming allergens or replace the toothpaste.
Often, an adult's gums itch when taking certain medications in contact with the mucous membrane. This is due to the rapid entry of mediators and allergens into the blood.
Itchy gums: other reasons
- Bruxism in adults is a disease that occurs in approximately 15% of adults, and many do not even suspect that there is something wrong with them. Jaw clenching occurs during sleep, so not everyone knows that something is wrong with it. Bruxism is much more common in children than in adults: approximately 50% of children under 7 years old grind their teeth in their sleep. Due to clenching of the jaws, the teeth experience severe overload, so the gums recede, exposing the roots. After identifying the disease, you should consult an orthopedic doctor who will make special mouthguards that can reduce the traumatic load. They do not need to be worn all the time, wearing them only during sleep, when it is impossible to control the clenching of the jaws. The causes of bruxism can be very different: prolonged stress and nervous overstrain, sleep disturbances and changes in its depth, malfunction of the nervous system, damage to the trigeminal nerve, osteochondrosis, malocclusion, trauma during childbirth and much more. Unfortunately, doctors have not yet been able to establish what exactly provokes the development of the disease. In addition to putting on mouthguards, we can recommend the following: try to relax as much as possible before going to bed; give your jaws a load during the day, trying to make them tired (you can chew hard vegetables and fruits).
- Poor quality dentures. If the dentures are removable, then the cause of the itching may be an allergy caused by failure to comply with certain parameters during the manufacture of the structure. As a rule, an excess of monomer provokes allergies. If bridges or crowns are installed, the cause of itching may be galvanosis resulting from the use of dissimilar metals (for example, people with stamped crowns often complain of itching). In both cases, the prosthesis must be replaced.
- Allergy. Each body can react differently to the same foods. The main “edible” sources of allergies are various preservatives, dyes, honey, fruits and vegetables, all kinds of spices and food additives. Quite rare, but allergic reactions to some component of the toothpaste do occur. The best way to deal with allergies is to remove the component that causes it, however, it is quite difficult to find out what exactly the body does not like. In addition, gums can itch due to an allergy to some medication taken orally and not in direct contact with the mucous membrane. Allergens are still carried through the bloodstream throughout the body.
- Damage to the mucous membrane. Traumatic injury results in an open wound that may become itchy during the healing process.
Itchy gums with bruxism
Sometimes the gums become itchy between the teeth due to bruxism. This is due to increased stress on the teeth, which results in receding gums and exposure of the roots of the teeth.
To the question: “What to do if an adult’s gums itch during bruxism?”, one can answer unequivocally: “Immediately contact an orthopedic dentist and have mouth guards installed.” These mouth guards are worn before bed to reduce dental trauma.
Article expert (author):
What sensations arise when they say – teeth itch?
Dentists are often contacted complaining of strange and not very pleasant sensations. Patients describe them as follows: the teeth seem to itch and itch. But in fact, such symptoms can be provoked by a variety of pathological processes. For example, sometimes similar sensations occur when inflammation develops in nearby soft or hard tissues.
Strange and not very pleasant sensations arise
And after removal, injured tissue may itch slightly while the process of restoration and healing takes place. When a similar symptom occurs in children, it may indicate the eruption of primary or permanent incisors and molars.
Baby's behavior during teething
When children are teething , parents are very worried about how the baby will survive this rather long and often difficult period.
We will not repeat ourselves about the order and pattern of growth of baby teeth. Another of the most common questions is: how many baby teeth do children have? We answer: normally, by the age of one year, the baby should have 8 full incisors - four on the bottom and four on top. By the age of 2 - 16, and by 2.5-3 years all milk teeth - 20 - have grown. By the way, all baby teeth fall out without exception and permanent teeth grow in their place.
Symptoms of teething in a child
But the symptoms of teething in a child can be completely different. Some children tolerate this time calmly; parents do not even know that the child is teething. It’s just that at one moment mom notices that the teeth are already there. Other children show obvious anxiety - their gums constantly itch, they try to chew something, rub their gums against each other, and there is constant salivation. Often the baby becomes whiny, irritable, and sleep is disturbed. The child may even refuse food because it hurts. In these cases, special gels for relieving painful sensations, which are sold in pharmacies, help well. You should also purchase a special silicone finger tip for wiping your gums and cleaning the first teeth that appear. If the mother regularly carries out this procedure from a very early age of the baby (3-4 months), in the future there will be no problems with the child brushing his teeth independently.
restless behavior during teething may also be due to many complications of this period and individual reactions of the body. This may include fever, upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, runny nose, and increased drowsiness. Much less often, there may be skin rashes, as well as isolated convulsions, which are most often associated with high fever.
If you are concerned about the baby's condition, especially the child's high temperature during teething , be sure to call your local pediatrician or contact our clinic for advice. We do not recommend listening to the advice of random people, and even grandmothers. It’s just that modern medicine has come a long way, and many of grandma’s recipes are outdated, especially since most of them are completely ineffective. Only a professional can competently assess the situation, including the correct formation of the bite, differentiate the symptoms of teething from other diseases, and choose the most affordable way to help the baby during this crucial period of his life. How to help a child, what you can do and what you absolutely cannot do - read the article “How to help a child when teething.”
How to relieve itching using traditional methods
If your gums itch, you can use folk recipes.
- One way is a decoction of sage, oak bark, chamomile or eucalyptus. One or more warm herbs are suitable for rinsing.
- Another way is to rinse with cool, boiled water without adding any products. The procedure removes food debris, reduces swelling and inflammation.
- To solve the problem, rinsing with sea or table salt or soda is effective - 1 teaspoon of the substance per glass of warm water. During the procedure, it is advisable to hold the solution in your mouth for 15 seconds, then spit it out.
- To heal ulcers and erosions, aloe juice or sea buckthorn oil is used; to cauterize pimples with stomatitis, use propolis or calendula tincture. These tinctures have an anti-inflammatory effect and are additionally used for rinsing. To do this, a teaspoon of tincture must be dissolved in a glass of warm water.
- Tea tree essential oil dissolved in warm water for rinsing has a soothing effect on itching. Another way to use is to drop oil onto a clean, soft brush and gently massage the gums. Additionally, the product has an antibacterial effect.
