The Importance of Gum Health and How to Prevent Gum Disease

The straightness of your teeth or the brightness of your smile are not the only factors that matter regarding your oral health. Your gums are also essential and need attention from you. Unfortunately, even with beautiful teeth without cavities, it doesn’t make you invulnerable to gum disease. As the infection is painless, you may never realize something is wrong with your gums.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease the alternate name for gum infection starts when dental plaque builds up beneath and along the gum line. Dental plaque resembles a sticky substance populated with bacteria. The plaque causes infections hurting the gums and bone, resulting in severe disease besides tooth decay. In addition, dental plaque is responsible for gingivitis, the initial stage of gum inflammation, causing your gums to become inflamed, tender, red, swollen, and prone to bleeding.

Fortunately, gingivitis is reversible because it does not impact the bone and tissue holding your teeth. If you visit the dentist near you for dental cleanings, they will recognize the signs of the inflammation and provide treatment to help you eliminate the problem.

If you leave the initial stage of gum infection gingivitis untreated, it can progress to periodontitis to impact the bones holding your teeth. Periodontitis can ruin the gums and the bones supporting your teeth, destroying them. In addition, advanced gum infections affect your bite, making tooth extractions a reality.

You will realize the importance of gum health if you read what the American Dental Association has to say about the signs of gum infections and why you must receive

treatment for the condition from the dental offices near you as soon as you observe the following symptoms.

Gum infections are painless but can cause symptoms that make you wonder what’s wrong with your mouth. The symptoms include:

• Persistent bad breath and taste.

• Separating or loose adult teeth.

• Easily bleeding gums.

• Swollen, red, and tender gums.

• Receding gums pulling away from your teeth.

Gum infections are preventable but require effort to keep them healthy. You can use the following techniques to maintain gum health optimally. They are:

Flossing

You must include flossing into your dental hygiene regimen and floss your teeth at least once daily without exceptions. Dental floss helps remove food particles that are challenging to remove with a toothbrush. Whether you floss your teeth during the daytime or the night does not matter as long as you do it at any time.

Regular Dental Cleanings.

Regular cleanings from the dentist in Chandler are essential because the dentist can recognize the early signs and symptoms of gum infections before they aggravate them. In addition, dental plaque remaining on your teeth for over 48 hours hardened into tartar, requiring help from a dental professional for the removal because brushing and flossing are ineffective against tartar. When you receive a professional dental cleaning, it helps eliminate any excess plaque remaining on and between your teeth, besides assisting you in reversing gingivitis if you are already affected by the infection.

Quit Smoking

Smoking causes gum infections while weakening your immune system making it challenging to ward off diseases of the gums. In addition, smoking also hampers your gum’s healing ability after they have sustained damage. Therefore if you have gum infections, it is an excellent reason to quit the habit because it benefits your gums and overall health.

Brushing Twice Daily

Brushing your teeth after every meal is an excellent idea because it helps remove food and plaque between your teeth and gums. However, you must also scrub your tongue because it harbors bacteria. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush to fit in your mouth comfortably is also beneficial. Consider using an electric toothbrush to reduce gingivitis and dental plaque than manual brushing. However, if required, you must change toothbrushes or toothbrush heads every quarter or earlier.

Using an Antiseptic Mouthwash

The Chandler dentist suggests using an antiseptic mouthwash to help reduce plaque, prevent gingivitis, and inhibit the speed of tartar development. In addition, mouth rinses help remove food particles and debris in the mouth while not substituting brushing and flossing. Therefore you must follow the above practices if you realize the importance of gum health.

Gum infections are entirely preventable and do not require effort if you are diligent with your dental hygiene and get six monthly dental exams and cleanings from the dentist besides incorporating the practices mentioned above to maintain gum health. However, if periodontal disease affects you will find yourself in plenty of trouble because the condition needs more frequent appointments with dentists besides intensive and expensive treatments that will remain with you forever. Therefore you must realize your gum health is as vital as your general health and care for it as suggested in this article.

Do not waste time if you experience symptoms of gum infections, as described earlier, but schedule an appointment with Chandler Ranch Dental as soon as possible to prevent a severe condition in your mouth. If left untreated, the infection will leave you without teeth, researching replacement solutions.