Sunday 7 April 2019

Gums/Gingiva : Parts of the body

                                     A to Z 2019


The gums are part of the soft tissue lining of the mouth. They surround the teeth and 
provide a seal around them. Unlike the soft tissue linings of the lips and cheeks, most of 
the gums are tightly bound to the underlying bone which helps resist the friction of food 
passing over them. Thus when healthy, it presents an effective barrier to the barrage of 
periodontal insults to deeper tissue. Healthy gums are usually coral pink in light skinned 
people, but may be naturally darker with melanin pigmentation.
Changes in color, particularly increased redness, together with swelling and an increased 
tendency to bleed, suggest an inflammation that is possibly due to the accumulation 
of bacterial plaque.

Healthy gums usually have no reaction to normal disturbance such as brushing . 
Unhealthy gums, conversely, will show bleeding on probing.
Gum disease starts when plaque builds up under and along the gum line. Plaque is a 
sticky film-like substance that’s filled with bacteria. It can cause infections that hurt the 
gum and bone, leading to gum disease and tooth decay. Plaque also can cause  
gingivitis,  the earliest stage of gum disease. Gingivitis causes your gums to become 
inflamed, tender, red, swollen and prone to bleeding.

                                     Keep the gums healthy.

                                                     Floss

Floss your teeth at least once a day, whenever time permits. Flossing helps to 
remove food and plaque matter that is not within the reach of a tooth brush.

                                      Regular visit to the dentist 

Your dentist can detect early gum disease symptoms if you 
see them on a regular basis. That way symptoms can be treated before they become 
more serious. A professional cleaning is the only way to remove tartar. It can also get rid 
of any plaque you missed when brushing or flossing. If you have gingivitis, brushing, 
flossing, and regular dental cleanings can help reverse it.

                                          Smoking bad for the gums 

Smoking is  associated with the onset of gum disease. Since smoking weakens your 

immune system, it also makes it harder to fight off a gum infection. Smoking makes it 

more difficult for your gums to heal once they’ve been damaged. The odour of the 

tabacco puts off people.

                                               Brush after every meal 

This helps remove the food and plaque trapped between your teeth and gums. Scrub your 

tongue too, since it can harbor bacteria. Your toothbrush should have soft bristles and fit 

in your mouth comfortably.
The Neem or Azaridachta Indica is a common tree in rural India. Every courtyard has a 
Neem tree growing. Every part of the tree is useful and medicinal. I had seen in my 
maternal grandma's village where the Neem twig was used in oral care and hygiene. It is 
commonly known as 'Datoon'. The end of the Neem stick was to be chewed into shreds till 
it resembled the bristles. It was rubbed over the teeth and gums. Chewing on the stick 
released a small amount of Neem oil.  Neem has strong anti-bacterial and anti-microbial 
properties and the wisdom of ancient India had recognized this treasure trove.

Image result for Neem toothbrushImage result for Neem toothbrush
                
Neem toothbrushes(Datoon)                                                                  chewed Neem toothbrush




                                                  8 foods for healthy gums

                                                              Trivia 

                                                      On a 'sticky'wicket

Arnold had the habit of flapping his gums. His classmates, teachers and his parents were irritated and fed up of his habit. People avoided him like plague. Amy was a new student to the school. She offered him a pastry. Arnold was pleased. No-one ever shared their tiffins during lunch break. As he bit into the pastry, he had a funny feeling. He could no longer open his mouth. His lips were sealed and he started to run helter-skelter. Students were thrilled to watch Arnold being helpless. Amy chuckled. Arnold had learnt a lesson.

(YouTube video)
(Information courtesy Google)
(Google pics)
                         Readers, did you ever suffer from any gum problem?

                          I am participating in the A to Z Challenge.

A to Z Challenge - Day 1. Arms : Parts of the body
A to Z Challenge - Day 2. breasts : Parts of the body
A to Z Challenge - Day 3.Chin & Cheeks : Parts of the body
A to Z Challenge - Day 4. Dimples : Parts of the body 

A to Z Challenge - Day 5. Eye : Parts of the body
A to Z Challenge -Day 6. Feet : Parts of the body

25 comments:

  1. https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.com/2019/04/gumsgingiva-parts-of-body.html

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  2. I am seriously considering to start using neem. Thanks for sharing. Read my health post. http://www.interstitialcystitisinindia.org/2019/04/gag-layer-and-interstitial-cystitis-co.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Balaka B for visiting my blog. There are many users of NEEM Brush. Some supermarkets do stock them.

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  3. Back to the basics Kalpana. Keep the good work going.
    #ContemplationOfaJoker #Jokerophilia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Manas M. WE ARE GOING back to our roots.

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  4. Very relevant and useful post. I've severe issues with gums because of tooth decay and cavities. I've been under medication for a while to prevent minor bleeding from the gums. Your post is informative.

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    Replies
    1. Oral care is very necessary and important. Take care Sonia C. THANKS for visiting my blog

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  5. Thanks once again for the wonderful post and your video is also very good this time.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks SUHA V. FOR VISITING my blog.

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  6. Some very good points made here, and as for poor Arnold, I'm sure he's learned a lesson!

    My A-Z of Children's Stories

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  7. Thanks Keith and Arnold did learn a lesson.

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  8. Feel bad for the protagonist in your story. However, as you have rightly pointed out we need to start using neem again. I am currently using a neem based toothpaste but dont think it is completely chemical free though it says it is ecofriendly product.

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  9. Namratha, I dont trust the products which advertise clove and neem in them. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  10. Thanks for reminding that we should keep our teeth healthy and shining for overall good health.

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  11. Hi Kalpana,
    First time on your blog! Thanks for pointing out some oral hygiene measures to keep healthy gums and teeth. I do not floss, guess I should start doing it.
    Even in my village everyone used neem Datoon but with advent of tooth paste and brush, age old tradition was forgotten. Thanks for reminding through your post.

    You can read my G post here - http://evergreenleaf.blogspot.com/2019/04/g-grow-up-atozchallenge.html?m=1

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  12. Welcome to my blog, Kislaya G.

    Now the Datoons are available in Mumbai supermarkets. So I presume a small section is going back to our roots.And there is hope.

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  13. Yet another interesting and informative post, Kalpana. When I started reading the post, I thought there cant be a story on gums. And you proved me wrong. :D I hope Arnold learnt from this experience.

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    Replies
    1. Arnold has the reader's sympathy but he has learnt a lesson. Thanks Shilpa Garg for reading my post.

      Delete
  14. I have a gum problem and also a problem of dry mouth. My gums do bleed and I go to the dentist regularly. In fact to tell you the honest truth I take a lot of medicines and this has cause several problems with the gums and also result in dry mouth. Excellent article on gums and it definitely acted as a primer to me on what I need to do to keep my gums healthy.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jai for reading and commenting. we all need to take care of our gums as they hold our teeth firmly in place.

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  15. https://ds2dio.tumblr.com

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