Gum disease is not just a matter of oral discomfort, bad breath and loose teeth, but in fact it can also affect other parts of your body including some internal organs such as pancreas and heart. For example, a recent research study by Harvard Medical School found that men with periodontal disease had a 61% higher risk of pancreatic cancer than those with no gum problems. In Belgium, the University of Liege reported that 91% of patients with heart problems who participated in their trial had moderate to severe periodontal issues. Gum disease, according to the study, can be linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, as plaque accumulation can result in swollen arteries. It's not an overstatement, therefore, to say that in order to have a healthy body, first you need to have healthy gums!

This article will teach you how to determine whether you have gum disease or not, and how to treat gum disease with herbs and some home remedies you can find in your own kitchen cabinet.

If you have one or two of the following symptoms that are more persistent than just occasional, it means you probably have gum disease.

• Bad breath
• Bleeding gums
• Receding gums
• Loose and shifting teeth (Keep in mind, however, that loose and malpositioned teeth alone may not indicate that you have gum disease, as loose teeth may be caused by other reasons such as fractured roots and bone loss.)
• Swollen and tender gums
• Gum abscesses

First of all, for those of you who haven’t paid a visit to your dentist for ages, I recommend you do that first before starting to take care of your gums with home remedies. The reason is that before treating gum disease, it is important to have your teeth cleaned by a dental hygienist, as hardened material and walls of plaque that are attached to the tooth root structure can be eliminated by professional dental equipment only. After that, you can start using home remedies to cure gum disease, maintain healthy gums and teeth, and prevent gum disease from recurring.

• Sea Salt - Dissolve a little bit of sea salt in a cup of warm water and swish it in your mouth like a mouthwash in the morning and at night after brushing your teeth. Sea salt rinse can help reduce gum swelling and draw the infection out of gum abscesses.
• Baking soda - Baking soda may not directly help soothe the symptoms of gum disease. What it can do, however, is neutralize the acids in the mouth and accordingly lessen the chance of gum disease and tooth decay. To use it, dissolve a little bit of baking soda in one cup of warm water. Dip your toothbrush in it. Add the toothpaste and then brush your teeth. Or you can also use an oral irrigator to inject the baking soda solution into the gum pockets directly.
• Honey - Hold on. Don't just run to your kitchen shelf and grab it. I'm not just talking about any kind of honey, but the Manuka honey from New Zealand. It has anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties that cannot be destroyed by the enzymes in our own bodies, which means it won't be broken down before it has a chance to work on the gums. Simply rub it into the gums after brushing or dilute it in water, then inject it into the gum pockets, using an oral irrigator. An oral irrigator not only helps clean food particles from under your gums, but also soothes your gums like a massage therapy. It is a great way to stengthen your gum health.
• Tea - Many people use tea bags on puffy eyes, though actually soaked tea bags can be very helpful for swollen gums and gum abscesses as well. After steeping the tea bag in hot water, let it cool and place it on the swollen gums or abscess. The tannic acid in the tea bag can lessen the swelling and ease the gum tenderness.

• Calendula Tincture - Calendula is a wonderful herb for treating gum disease, especially bleeding and receding gums. Add some toothpaste to your toothbrush, then put two or three drops of calendula tincture on the toothpaste. Brush your teeth and massage the gums gently. The calendula will heal and revitalize the gum tissues.
• Clove oil - Clove oil is a very effective natural numbing solution that can be used with extremely sore gums. Dab a Q-tip into clove oil and apply it on the tender area of your gums. This will temporarily ease the pain and soreness. It won't, however, heal the gum tissues like calendula tincture does.
• Aloe vera gel - Aloe vera gel can help quicken the healing of gum tissues and has a slight numbing effect, which is helpful for extra sensitive gums and teeth. Also, it is believed to increase moisture in the mouth and therefore lessen bad breath. To treat gum disease, simply spread it on your toothbrush and gently massage the gums with it.

Using herbal toothpaste and dental products can be more beneficial to the gums than synthetic dental products by commercial brands. Natural products contain no detergents, synthetic preservatives, artificial coloring and chemical whiteners that might be good for the teeth, but can be irritating and allergenic to gum tissues.

You can buy herbal toothpaste and dental products online or in most health food stores. Look for ingredients such as echinacea, rosemary, myrrh, tea tree and calendula. Echinacea and rosemary are great for receding gums, as they can encourage cell regeneration, and allow gum tissues to fix themselves and grow back. Calendula toothpaste effectively helps heal bleeding gums whereas myrrh and tea tree are powerful antiseptics.

Using herbal dental floss is another way to maintain healthy gums, as it not only removes plaque and food particles from between your teeth, but also directs the herbal ingredients into the gums. Be careful, however, not to floss too hard and damage your gum tissues instead of healing them. Flossing should be done very gently.