Thickening of the gums or gingival hyperplasia is a disease that involves the increase in the size and volume of the gums, it is a benign thickening and can be due to many factors, including the long-term administration of drug therapies.
The causes of gingival hyperplasia
As we have anticipated, the causes of thickening of the gums can be many, in particular, an increase in the volume of the gums can be:
- accumulation of plaque and tartar;
- genetic predisposition;
- hormonal changes;
- chronic drug intake.
In particular, the drugs that can cause thickening of the gums as a side effect are:
- nifedipine;
- cyclosporine;
- phenytoin.
This type of drug can increase the likelihood that the gums will become thicker, but other factors also contribute to the appearance of the phenomenon.
Patients with gum thickening: how to intervene
Although it is a pathology that does not create serious consequences for patients, it still creates discomfort. The swollen and thick gums can also be seen with the naked eye and the aesthetics of the smile are certainly compromised.
The dental techniques for the treatment of gingival thickening are:
- replacement of the drug that is at the basis of the appearance of the phenomenon (if obviously there can be valid alternatives);
- root scaling and smoothing;
- greater accuracy in the practice of oral hygiene and use of antimicrobial mouthwashes.
Recurrence due to gum thickening
In a recent study published in OOO in January 2021, the relapse rate and the time to relapse for patients suffering from gingival hyperplasia due to drug therapies were analyzed.
The study found that surgical interventions using laser therapy, combined with monitoring and control of plaque within the oral cavity, demonstrated the lowest risk of recurrence.
The non-surgical approach, on the other hand, involves resizing and smoothing the roots, instructions for patients for maintaining proper oral hygiene and the use of antimicrobial mouthwashes.
Despite these results it is very difficult to state, due to the few patients sampled, that the best therapy for the treatment of thickening of the gums is to be considered surgical.
Further studies are needed that can demonstrate that laser surgery is necessary to avoid relapse, at the moment both the non-surgical and the surgical approaches can both be considered valid for the treatment of gum thickening.
