Gingival enlargements and their management

There are a group of health conditions that lead to overgrowth of gums that is known as gingival enlargement. These conditions are usually independent of dental plaque or oral bacterial accumulation in and around gingiva.

We can arbitrarily classify these gingival enlargements based on the causative into:

A. Physiological – which are related to puberty or pregnancy related

B. Pharmacological or medication induced and

C. Other non-physiological or non-pharmacological conditions that may require deeper investigations.

Usually, gingival enlargements do not regress after the physiological stimulus passes or after the pharmacological intervention is stopped. In such situations, these gingival enlargements not only create cosmetic concerns but also prevent effective oral hygiene and thereby cause plaque accumulation which superimpose bacterial induced gingival and periodontal conditions. With the advent of laser dentistry, these benign gingival overgrowths can be effectively managed and their recurrence subsequently minimized with regular personal and professional oral hygiene measures.