Gum Disease
Gum disease is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth. These bacteria create toxins that can damage the gums.
Periodontal diseases attack just below the gum line in the sulcus, where they cause the attachment of the tooth and supporting tissues to break down. As the tissues are damaged, the sulcus develops into a pocket; generally, the more severe the disease, the greater the depth of the pocket.
Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are gingivitis and periodontitis.
Gingivitis
In the early stage of gum disease, called gingivitis, the gums become red, swollen and bleed easily. At this stage, the disease is still reversible and can usually be eliminated by daily brushing and flossing.
Periodontitis
In the more advanced stages of gum disease, called periodontitis, the gums and bone that support the teeth become seriously damaged. Whereas healthy gums and bone anchor teeth firmly in place, infected gums can cause teeth to become loose, fall out, or have to be removed by a dentist.
Some factors increase the risk of developing periodontal disease:
- Tobacco smoking or chewing
- System-wide diseases such as diabetes
- Some types of medication such as steroids, some types of anti-epilepsy drugs, cancer therapy drugs, some calcium channel blockers, and oral contraceptives
- Bridges that no longer fit properly
- Crooked teeth
- Fillings that have become defective
- Pregnancy
If you notice any of the following signs of gum disease, see the doctor immediately:
- Gums that bleed easily
- Red, swollen, tender gums 3. Gums that have pulled away from the teeth 4. Persistent bad breath or bad taste 5. Pus between your teeth and gums 6. Permanent teeth that are loose or separating 7. Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite 8. Any change in the fit of partial dentures It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. That is one reason why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations are very important. Treatment methods depend on the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed.
Good oral hygiene at home is essential to keep periodontal disease from becoming more serious or recurring. You don’t have to lose teeth to periodontal disease. Brush regularly, clean between your teeth, eat a balanced diet, and schedule regular visits to Luminous Smile Dental for a lifetime of healthy smiles.
Healthy gums is always associated with healthy teeth. You can’t have a healthy teeth without your gums protecting it from being exposed in bacteria. Imagine yourself losing all your choppers just because you did not took care of your gums properly.
In recent years, researchers are studying the possibility that gum disease is connected to major disease like, diabetes, respiratory infection, heart ailments and stroke. As the study suggested, people with unhealthy gums have a higher risk of worsening their disease. Though more research is needed to validate those analysis, it still shows that oral health is a big factor for our overall condition.
Around 75 percent of adults above the age of 35 suffer from various types of gum disease in the U.S. While the majority of people suffer from a less serious type of gum disease known as gingivitis, between five percent and 15 percent of the population have a more serious form of the disease known as periodontics.
When you fail to practice a proper oral health hygiene, the bacteria in your mouth form plaque- a sticky film of bacteria- on teeth. These bacteria can cause your gums to become infected and inflamed, which can result in swollen, red, or bleeding gums. For a lot of people who suffer from gingivitis, this inflammation causes no discernable pain. When caught early, gingivitis can be reversed and healed through proper oral hygiene. However, when left untreated, gingivitis can progress into periodontal disease, which can eventually lead to tooth loss.
Gum disease is mainly caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth. These bacteria create toxins that can damage the gums.
Periodontal diseases attack just below the gum line in the sulcus, where they break down the attachment of the tooth and supporting tissues causing the damaged to the tissues. The sulcus then develops a pocket; usually, the more severe the disease, the greater the depth of the pocket.
Periodontal diseases are classified according to the severity of the disease. The two major stages are gingivitis and periodontitis.
- Gingivitis
In the early stage of gum disease, called gingivitis, an inflammation that occurs due to bacteria that stuck on the teeth, also known as plaque. This occurrence causes the gums to become red, swollen and bleed easily. At this stage, the disease is still reversible and can usually be eliminated by daily brushing and flossing. When left unchecked, gingivitis might cause the gums to separate from the teeth. Even though it is a disease that don’t need attention, don’t underestimate this sly bad boy, Gingivitis is one of the main reasons of why adults lost their teeth.
- Periodontitis
In the more advanced stages of gum disease, called periodontitis, the gums and bone that support the teeth become seriously damaged. Whereas healthy gums and bone anchor teeth firmly in place, infected gums can cause teeth to become loose, fall out, or have to be removed by a dentist. In any case that you have a suspicion about having a periodontitis, don’t hesitate and go to your dentist.
The Catalyst for Gum Disease
Smoking or Chewing Tobacco Products
It’s a no-brainer that smoking is dangerous to our health, it is the reason for many fatal diseases like lung cancer and other respiratory problems. Aside the damage in our lungs, smoking mainly affect our mouth. Bacteria and toxins from tobacco products forms around our teeth and causing damage to our gums.
System-wide Diseases
When you have a disease that affect our whole body system, there is no question that this ailments weakened you immune system against various infections. Specifically, our oral health is easily targeted by different pathogens.
Medication Side Effects.
Usage of different chemicals greatly disturb our body, positively or negatively. There are types of medicinal drugs that have side effects that are harmful to other parts of our body. The best example are the different blood pressure medication drug, this roots the start of tooth decay and swelling of the gums.
Misplaced Bridges
Dental bridges are meant to perfectly fit in your gum line, there are instances that a small space between the bridge and gum is created. This area accumulates food that can be trap between the two. This may damage the gums and brings bacteria that starts-up gingivitis.
Crooked teeth
Gum disease is common for people with crooked teeth. Bacteria in our mouth forms a plaque that may greatly damage our oral health. The problem of having a crooked teeth is that the gums don’t fit securely around the teeth leaving spaces for bacteria to grow and survive.
Pregnancy
The increase in production of progesterone for the pregnant mothers may cause inflammation to the gums like gingivitis and periodontitis. Around 50% of women will develop gingivitis in pregnancy as a result of the varying changes in hormone. People should learn a thing or two about their gums to avoid suffering to periodontal diseases, to be honest, our gums is one of the body parts that we seems to forget its existence. We should never took our gums for granted, even our gums get hurt, so be sensitive. As the old saying goes “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
Fighting Gum Disease, One Step at a Time
By following these five basic steps to fend-off swollen, sore and bleeding gums, you can help to ensure the health of your teeth and gums. Always brush your teeth at every after meal
Flossing to Victory
Proper oral hygiene is a big part of protecting our mouth against the bad bacteria, as floss is one of the most famous tool use in proper oral sanitization. Flossing your mouth appropriately greatly reduce the risk of having gum disease, because you remove the plaque and food particles between your teeth and gums, and that helps for fwinning (sorry for that bad joke) against periodontal disease.
Drink Water Vigorously
Drinking eight glass of water everyday helps you fight inflamed gums or gingivitis, when you hydrate your body with water, it will produce saliva that fends off bacteria in your mouth. Another reason is drinking water rinse out bacteria that intact in your mouth.
Be Tobacco-Free
I already discuss, avoid using tobacco products to limit the production of bacteria inside your mouth. As smoking is one of the main reasons for the growth of people diagnosed with cancer and other fatal diseases, in addition to other ailments, you can also get a numerous of oral disease, including gingivitis, periodontitis and many more.
A Proper Diet and a Mix of Vitamin C and Calcium
A balance diet can aid you in preventing many illness as an old saying goes, “Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food.” Proper nourishment of the body can help you have a healthy body as per with your mouth. Try eating food with high Vitamin C and Calcium to help you strengthen your teeth and gums. Just remember to be careful with the food you eat.
A Relaxed Mind Means a Relaxed Gums
Calm down and breathe. Stressing yourself will not help you overcome discomforts in your teeth and gums. You should relax take things lightly as study shows that stressed people are much likely to capture a disease.
A Call for Help
If you notice any of the following signs of gum disease, see the doctor immediately:
- Gums that bleed easily
- Red, swollen, tender gums
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth
- Persistent bad breath or bad taste
- Pus between your teeth and gums
- Permanent teeth that are loose or separating
- Any change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- Any change in the fit of partial dentures
It is possible to have periodontal disease and have no warning signs. That is one reason why regular dental checkups and periodontal examinations are very important. Treatment methods depend on the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed. Good oral hygiene at home is essential to keep periodontal disease from becoming more serious or recurring. You don’t have to lose teeth to periodontal disease. Brush regularly, clean between your teeth, eat a balanced diet, and schedule regular visits to Luminous Smile Dental for a lifetime of healthy smiles Remember, Dentistry is not expensive, neglect is.
