Ceramic crowns help improve aesthetics and chewing function. However, some people with porcelain crowns have gingivitis, redness and swelling of soft tissue, and bad breath. Understanding the causes and how to handle them properly will help you effectively protect your oral health.
Signs of gingivitis with porcelain crowns
Porcelain dental crowns are a popular solution for aesthetic restoration and improving chewing function today. However, if not properly cared for, the gum area around porcelain teeth can become inflamed, seriously affecting facial structure, loss of aesthetics and even jaw bone loss.
Below are signs of gingivitis on porcelain crowns that you need to pay special attention to:
Swollen gums, redness around porcelain teeth
Inflamed gums will be bright red or dark red, swollen and sensitive to the touch. This is the earliest sign that the gum tissue is reacting to irritation, possibly due to bacteria, incompatible ceramic coating materials or poor hygiene.
Bleeding from the gums when brushing or flossing science
Bleeding gums is a common symptom when the gums are in a more severe stage of inflammation. If this condition repeats every day, you need to go to the dentist for a checkup because it may have entered the stage of periodontitis.
Prolonged bad breath despite good hygiene
Bad breath is a clear sign of plaque buildup and bacteria that cause gingivitis. Bad odor can spread when talking, affecting confidence in communication and daily life.
Gingivitis around porcelain teeth causes pain in the gums, sensitivity when chewing or biting
Gingivitis around porcelain teeth can cause pain, discomfort when chewing, and even feeling tight or stuck. when eating. This causes the chewing function to be clearly affected.
Pus appears around the tooth root or porcelain crown
When the gums are severely inflamed, bacteria penetrates deeply into soft tissue causing pus discharge. This is a warning sign that you may be experiencing a tooth abscess – a dangerous complication of gingivitis after porcelain crowns that require immediate treatment.
Gum recession, tooth roots are clearly visible
Gum recession exposes the tooth neck, creating conditions for bacteria to accumulate capacitor. This condition, if prolonged, not only causes sensitivity but also affects the aesthetics of the smile and increases the risk of loose and broken teeth.
Bitter taste or unpleasant odor in the mouth
The feeling of a bitter taste or strange odor in the mouth is a result of bacteria decomposing in the inflamed gum area. This is a sign of a progressive infection that you should not ignore.
The cause of porcelain crowns causing gingivitis
Gingivitis around porcelain crowns is a fairly common condition and can originate from many different causes. Among them, poor oral hygiene, ill-fitting crowns, excess porcelain adhesive, or a crown placement too deep below the gum line are common factors that cause gum irritation and infection. In addition, some cases also involve sensitivity to the ceramic crown material or adhesive, leading to swollen gums, red gums, and even the development of gum disease if not treated early. Detailed causes:
Poor oral hygiene
Not brushing and flossing properly will cause plaque and bacteria to accumulate around the ceramic crown, causing gingivitis and infection.
The crown does not fit properly
When porcelain crowns do not fit tightly to real teeth, the gaps will create conditions for bacteria to grow, easily causing gum irritation and gingivitis around the ceramic crown.
Excess porcelain tooth glue
Using too much glue causes the glue to spill over the gum line, causing lasting irritation and risk of gingivitis.
The location of the crown is too deep below the gum line
When the ceramic crown is too deep under the gums, the gums are easily rubbed, causing redness, swelling and increased risk of gum infection.
Sensitivity to the ceramic crown material or adhesive
Some people may react to the chemical ingredients in the crown material or adhesive, causing gum irritation, gingivitis around the ceramic crown, or persistent gum swelling.
Rough or uneven edges of the crown
The edge of the porcelain crown is not smooth and easily traps food particles, creating conditions for plaque and bacteria to grow, leading to gingivitis.
Tooth decay underneath the ceramic crown
When real tooth decay under the crown is not detected in time, bacteria will spread, causing gingivitis, pain and even deep infection.
Gingivitis after porcelain crowns is a not uncommon problem that affects tooth health. mouth, aesthetics and chewing function. To limit complications such as prolonged infection or alveolar bone loss, when you detect signs of swelling, pain, bleeding, bad breath… you should quickly go to a reputable dentist for timely examination and treatment.
Treat mild gingivitis at home
If gingivitis is still mild, you can apply some support tips at home:
Gargling with warm salt water: This is a simple way to help clean the oral cavity, kill bacteria and effectively reduce swelling and pain.
Use betel leaves: Betel leaves have natural antibacterial properties. You can crush the leaves, cook them with boiling water, let them cool and then use them to gargle every day. In addition, it can be applied directly to the inflamed gum area to quickly relieve symptoms.
Non-invasive treatment with pain relievers
When gingivitis caused by porcelain crowns is not severe, your doctor may recommend non-invasive treatment at home. Specifically, patients can use pain relievers such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and pain. However, it is necessary to absolutely follow professional instructions from the dentist, avoid arbitrarily buying medicine and using the wrong dosage to ensure oral health and limit unwanted irritation.
Non-invasive treatment by covering porcelain teeth
In case medicinal measures are no longer effective, the doctor may prescribe porcelain crowns. When the new restoration is done with proper technique, the porcelain crown will hug the tooth crown, eliminating the gap that causes infection, thereby helping the gums to be stable and no longer affected. This is a non-invasive solution, helping to preserve maximum natural gum tissue.
Invasive treatment with dental surgery
If gingivitis becomes severe or there are signs of prolonged gingivitis, requiring invasive treatment measures to completely remove the inflammation.
– Gingivectomy:
This method is often applied when alveolar bone loss occurs, causing prolonged inflammation of the gum tissue. The doctor will clean the inflamed gum area, then cut the gums partially to limit contact between the gums and the porcelain crown, thereby minimizing irritation and preventing re-inflammation.
– Gum graft:
In more serious cases, when the biological space is damaged, intervention with minor gum graft surgery is needed. The doctor will remove the old porcelain tooth, regenerate the biological space, and then wait about 20–30 days for the gum tissue to recover. After the tissue is stabilized, the new porcelain tooth will be covered, ensuring harmony and preventing the risk of recurring infection.
In some cases, if home treatments are not effective, the doctor will prescribe a porcelain tooth crown to completely stop the infection.
This method is often applied when alveolar bone loss occurs, causing prolonged inflammation of the gum tissue. The doctor will clean the inflamed gum area, then cut the gums partially to limit contact between the gums and the porcelain crown, thereby minimizing irritation and preventing re-inflammation.
In more serious cases, when the biological space is damaged, intervention with minor gum graft surgery is needed. The doctor will remove the old porcelain tooth, regenerate the biological space, and then wait about 20–30 days for the gum tissue to recover. After the tissue is stabilized, the new porcelain tooth will be covered, ensuring harmony and preventing the risk of recurring infection.
