How to Treat Gum Disease With Homemade Remedies

Treating gum disease with homemade remedies is possible, and can help to cure various gum problems, such as gingivitis, periodontal disease, and several other problems that need to be taken seriously. The knowledge of these simple treatments will help you to maintain good oral health. This will also facilitate awareness about healthy gums and teeth and how you can use the easiest methods at home.

Red gums. Swollen gums. Sore gums. Gum disease is no fun, and if left untreated, can cause serious dental and system-wide health problems. There are things you can try on your own to treat gum disease, but if symptoms escalate and you experience persistent bleeding gums, visit your dentist immediately. In the meantime, check out these ideas for improving the health of your gums.

Method 1 of 2: Treating with Home Remedies

1

Reduce stress. According to the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), there's a link between stress and your dental health. People under stress have a compromised immune system that makes it harder for them to fight off the bacteria that causes periodontal disease and makes them more prone to gum infection. Researchers have also learned that not all stress is created equal. In studies done at three different U.S. universities, participants experiencing financial worries were at greatest risk for periodontal disease.^[1]
2

Make a sea salt solution. Dissolve a small amount of sea salt in a cup of warm water. Swish a sip of the solution in your mouth for 30 seconds and spit it out. Repeat several times. Salt water will reduce swollen gums and draw infection out of any abscesses. Add this mouth rinse to your twice-daily brushing routine.
3
Apply tea bags. Steep a tea bag in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, remove it, and allow it to cool until you can handle it comfortably. Hold the cooled tea bag on the affected area of your gums and keep it there for about five minutes. The tannic acid in the tea bag can work effectively to relieve gum infection.
- Directly applying the tea bag to your gums is more effective than simply drinking the beverage. Plus, drinking too much tea has a dental downside: discolored, tea-stained teeth.
4
Rub on some honey. Honey has natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties, so you can put it to work treating your infected gums. Once you brush your teeth, rub a small amount of honey on the problem area of your gums.
- Given honey's high sugar content, you want to be careful you don't over apply it and do your best to put it on your gums only rather than on your teeth.
5

Drink cranberry juice. Cranberry juice can prevent bacteria from sticking to your teeth, so try drinking up to 4 ounces of the unsweetened juice daily.
6
Make a lemon paste. Make a paste from the juice of one lemon and some salt. Mix it well and apply to your teeth. Let it sit for a few minutes and gargle with warm water to rinse it off.
- Lemons offer a win-win solution for treating gum disease. First, they're an anti-inflammatory, which makes them helpful in treating infected gums. Not only that, but lemons contain vitamin C, which can help your gums fight off infection.
7

Eat more C-rich foods. It's not just lemons that can help with gum disease, but also other foods full of vitamin C such as oranges, grapes, guava, kiwi mango, papaya, bell peppers, and strawberry. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and antioxidants are found to promote connective tissue growth and bone regeneration, which can be affected by various gum problems.
8
Increase your intake of vitamin D. Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties, so be sure you're getting enough of it when you're trying to heal swollen gums and prevent the condition from recurring. Older adults should particularly take note of this vitamin. According to the National Institutes of Health, higher blood levels of vitamin D seem to be linked to a reduced risk of gum disease in people age 50 and older.^[2]
- Get your vitamin D fix by soaking up the sun at least 15 to 20 minutes twice a week and eating D-rich foods such as salmon, whole eggs, sunflower seeds, and cod liver oil.
9

Brush with baking soda. Baking soda neutralizes the acids in your mouth, thereby reducing the chances of tooth decay and gum disease, so it's more of a preventive measure than an actual treatment for gum disease. Add a small amount of baking soda to a bit of warm water and mix to form a paste. Use this paste to brush your teeth.
10

Give up tobacco. Tobacco decreases your ability to fight infection and delays healing. Tobacco users are more likely than nonsmokers to have serious gum disease that doesn't respond as well to treatment and that leads to tooth loss.^[3]