Gum Disease Affects More Than Just Your Mouth
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is caused by the allowance of bacteria to breed and build-up in your mouth. Bacteria normally builds up below or around the gum line. If you floss normally, this bacterium cannot affect your gums fully, but if you have poor dental hygiene, it can cause infection and irritation.
Who Does Gum Disease Affect?
Gum disease can affect anyone. It affects almost 50% of all adults in the United States currently in various forms. For any Americans over the age of 65, this number grows, affecting over 70% of all elderly individuals. Initial stages of this disease are nearly undetectable because the pain can be light or not existing at all. Because it can affect anyone, keeping healthy dental routines is crucial to avoiding these issues.
What else can Gum Disease Affect?
As of late, research has surfaced that links gum disease to many other bodily issues. There have been connections found between periodontal disease and fertility, respiratory and cardiac issues. Research has shown that gum disease lowers your immune system’s ability to fight off other things because it is too busy combating infection and inflammation inside your mouth. Further than this, individuals that are at risk of heart disease or strokes, may find that the presence of periodontal disease may worsen those chances.
Gum Disease Symptoms and Signs
There are many various forms of gum disease. At its most mild, it is known as gingivitis. At its most severe, it can cause tooth loss and receding tissue lines which can leave you susceptible to further disease. Del Mar Center for Advanced Dentistry in Del Mar offer many services to help you identify these issues, however here are a few signs and symptoms to look out for:
- Sensitive teeth
- Swollen, red or puffy gums
- Bad breath that never seems to go away
- Bleeding or tender gums
- Loose teeth
- Painful chewing or biting
- Receding gum lines
- Teeth that appear to be longer than usual
Treating Gum Disease
Del Mar Center for Advanced Dentistry in Del Mar offers a great treatment process for gum disease, but generally there are some basics to the process. Professional cleaning is usually used to identify the severity of the issue and is then followed up with more cleanings, scaling or root planing to remove the old bacteria and build up so that healthier gum tissue may grow back. Laser treatments and ultrasonic technology is often used in this process as well due to the nooks and crannies present in the human mouth.
How do You Prevent Gum Disease?
This disease begins slowly. With upkeep and close attention to dental health, you can help to avoid the issue, or lessen it.
- Floss regularly to remove harmful bacteria and keep your gums strong.
- Brush your teeth every day to keep up with removing surface bacteria, plaque and other dental obstructions that may lead to infection or contribute to disease.
- Regular checkups with your dentist are incredibly useful at keeping a professional eye trained on possible issues. Their machinery is also more adept to getting into hard to reach places.
Del Mar Center for Advanced Dentistry Periodontal Disease Treatments
This dental company has a huge array of services but more importantly they offer treatment for gum disease. It can be a long journey to creating a healthier oral hygiene atmosphere, but this office in Del Mar CA is dedicated to helping you find that path. They use a mixture of deep cleaning, root planing and scaling to bring you to a healthier smile.