Taking care of your oral health involves more than just brushing your teeth twice a day and avoiding sugary foods. It also involves taking care of your gums. By not taking care of your gums, you could be increasing your risk of gum disease. That might have gotten you wondering about what the best way is to care for your gums and prevent gum disease. Here is what you need to know about preventing gum disease and how your Fallbrook dentist can help.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, known as periodontitis, often begins with bacterial growth in your mouth. If it is not properly treated, then it can end up in tooth loss due to the loss or destruction of important tissue surrounding your teeth. Prior to gum disease, gingivitis typically happens first. Gingivitis often shows up as gum inflammation.
Bacteria from plaque can build up and that is often a contributing factor to the inflammation.
Who Is More Susceptible to Gum Disease?
There are a variety of contributing factors that can play a part in developing gum disease. Family history of dental disease, poor oral hygiene habits, smoking, medications, illnesses, and hormone changes, just to name a few.
How Can You Fight Gum Disease?
The first thing that you can do to avoid gum disease is to reduce your chances of gingivitis. That can be done by brushing regularly and removing plaque. Then you want to be sure to floss daily, thus removing plaque and bacteria from in between your teeth and any that might be found in your gums or pockets around them.
If you find that your gums are bleeding when you floss them or brush, then you might have a buildup of bacteria that is irritating your gums. Continue to clean them regularly, but if the bleeding continues, then you should contact your Fallbrook dentist to see if additional options are required to address the bacteria.
Have the Gums Started to Form Pockets?
Your Fallbrook dentist can check your teeth to determine if your gums have started to pull away from your teeth, thus creating pockets. These pockets can get deeper and result in bacteria having additional places to hide. The damage can only grow if these pockets are not addressed properly.
Working with your Fallbrook dentist, you can schedule a deep cleaning that will address these pockets. There are also additional options available that can be used to reduce the size of those pockets within your gums. If this situation is not addressed, it can lead to tooth and bone loss.
What Should You Look Out For?
If you notice red, swollen, tender gums, receding gums, or persistent bad breath, then you should reach out to your Fallbrook dentist for assistance. Also, if any of your teeth appear loose or shifting, then it is important to see your dentist right away. Together, you can come up with a treatment plan to address your concerns.
That treatment plan will be based on the progression of your gum disease, including deep cleanings, surgery, or restoration of supportive tissues to help secure your teeth.
Gernot Winkler, DDS, is dedicated to serving clients with general and family, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. Located in Fallbrook, Dr. Winkler sees patients throughout San Diego County including neighboring cities such as Fallbrook, Bonsall, Rainbow, and Temecula.