When it comes to a healthy smile, many people focus on their teeth. However, your gums are equally important to the overall health of your mouth. Gum disease is one of the biggest contributors to tooth decay, so it’s important that patients learn how to properly care for them. Joy K Lunan DDS, located in Middlebury, is a cosmetic dentist that provides a wide array of services, including teeth whitening, dental implants, and veneers. In addition, she emphasizes the importance of proper gum care to her patients, understanding that gum disease can be a large threat.
Gum disease can result in the decay of your teeth, attacking them at the root. In addition, it can be directly related to other health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Also commonly referred to as Gingivitis, gum disease is a contagious bacterial infection that not only affects your mouth ecology, but that can have pronounced effects on your overall health. Locally, it can be responsible for eroding and destroying your gums, and in more advanced stages it can lead to tooth loss and even jawbone erosion. Still, left untreated, the inflammation from the bacterial infection can even lead to a variety of ailments ranging from increased allergies to cancer.
Gum disease is caused by the buildup of tartar under the gums. This usually happens because you don't brush your teeth often enough. Even brushing daily may not be enough if you have a medical condition, such as diabetes, that makes you more prone to infections. Your dentist will probably recommend you increase brushing frequency to remove plaque before it can turn into tartar. However, once tartar has already formed, the only way to get rid of it is to have it scraped off by a hygienist. Until your gum disease is under control, your dentist may want you to undergo frequent dental cleanings to keep the tartar off your teeth so your gums can heal.
However, many overlook the dangers of gum disease, and how it is equally as threatening as tooth decay. Gum disease, often known as gingivitis, can be a problem when left untreated. It often occurs when one has poor oral hygiene. Its symptoms include swollen gums, gum bleeding, gum reddening, and mild to moderate irritation. Although brushing does help prevent and treat this disease to an extent, flossing can enhance it even more and improve gum health. Some may consider this disease a minor one, but when left alone, it can progress to periodontitis, the final and most devastating form of gingivitis. Periodontitis is a harmful disease that “loosens” the gums from the teeth. Depending on the severity of the receding gums, teeth can fall off. Despite its scary symptoms, one can easily prevent this from happening by flossing daily. According to most dentists, gum bleeding while flossing is a sign of bacterial infection. Although many may think that it is a bad sign, it is a signal that the gums are trying to recover.
Preventing gum disease is important as you age because gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Tooth loss not only affects your appearance, it can make it difficult to eat and maintain healthy nutrition. It's often possible to prevent gum disease through proper dental care and maintaining good overall health. Here are a few important steps for keeping your gums healthy.
There are three main types of gum disease that children can develop. First, there is gingivitis, which is the most easily preventable just by having your child maintain good dental hygiene. Children who brush at least twice a day for two full minutes each time and also floss daily are less likely to develop gingivitis than children who don't brush or floss regularly. If your child is very young and has not reached puberty, then this is likely the type
Mild gum disease is known as gingivitis; untreated gum disease can lead to periodontitis, putting you in danger of losing your teeth and other complications.
Gum diseases (sometimes called PERIODONTAL or GINGIVAL DISEASES) are infections that harm the gum and bone that hold teeth in place. When plaque stays on your teeth too long, it forms a hard, harmful covering, called TARTAR, that brushing doesn't clean. The longer the plaque and tartar stay on your teeth, the more damage they cause. This is called GINGIVITIS. If gingivitis is not treated, over time it can make your gums pull away from your teeth and form pockets that can get infected. This is called PERIODONTITIS. If not treated, this infection can ruin the bones, gums, and tissue that support your teeth. In time, it can cause loose teeth that your dentist may have to remove.
Many things can go wrong in the mouth. The symptoms are serious and if they are experienced contact a medical professional immediately. If gingivitis is left untreated if can lead to gum disease, periodontitis, or chronic gingiva. If the teeth continuously get brushed twice a day for at least two minutes the risk of getting gingivitis lowers. Good nutrition and avoiding tobacco products will also reduce the rick of getting gingivitis or gum
Cavities may be among the more well-known dental problems that you may experience, but gum disease is another common issue that many patients have a remarkably poor understanding about. This can result in them making critical errors in treating gum disease, which can result in the loss of teeth and numerous other severe issues. By having a couple of common gum disease misconceptions refuted, it will be easier for you to protect your smile from the ravages of this dental condition.
Millions of Americans suffer from excruciating tooth pain every single day. They have cavities. They have stains on their teeth. They avoid smiling. They can even have bad breath, which is a sign that your teeth or your mouth is unhealthy. Some Americans are walking around with gum disease. Gum disease is an infection in your mouth. It’s the gums and the bones infected and you’re walking around everyday with an infection, which can cause lots of other health problems all over your body because you’re not paying attention to your teeth. On oralb.com, I read that “gum disease is linked to heart attacks and stroke.” Now maybe you’re one of the many Americans who avoids the dentist at all costs. You’re saying, “Oh I brush my teeth twice or three times a day”, “I
Gum disease starts with bacteria invading the mouth. It can eventually result in tooth loss because of the receding tissue that surrounds the teeth and loosens the teeth. Serious gum disease is preceded by gingivitis, which can be identified by inflamed and bleeding gums. It is important to know that gingivitis can be reversed and can heal completely by keeping up with brushing and flossing.
Periodontal disease is more commonly known as gum disease or gingivitis. This infection is serious enough, that it can lead to tooth loss if left untreated. This chronic infection starts around the tooth and it affects the supporting bone and gums. Periodontal disease can affect anywhere from one tooth to all thirty-two teeth. The disease pathology starts with the plaque that builds up on your teeth everyday.
Other factors that contribute to gum disease are plaque-induced gingivitis, drug-induced gingivitis, and gingivitis due to vitamin deficiency, gingivitis due to infections, gingivitis due to pregnancy, gingivitis due to menopause, gingivitis due to leukemia, and gingivitis due to an impacted tooth (Pericoronitis). The most common cause of gingivitis is plaque-induced gingivitis which is from lack of brushing and flossing. When different drugs cause gum tissue to overgrow, so that eliminating plaque becomes nearly impossible and sometimes develops gingivitis it is called drug-induced gingivitis. Another cause of gingivitis, in rare cases, is vitamin deficiencies. Many small white or yellow sores that form inside the mouth and the color of the gums
Health Dangers: The other health conditions linked to gum disease and plaque include heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. Additional associated health risks are rheumatoid arthritis and premature birth.
Your gums are the foundation of oral health. Think about it: Just beneath them are hypersensitive tooth nerve endings, but food particles get trapped in them every day, wearing them away and leading to conditions like gingival recession (receding gums) and periodontal disease. When left unchecked, these are leading causes of nerve exposure, and, ultimately, tooth death. No wonder dentists are always telling people to floss.