Treating gum disease is now more important than ever...
There are many stages of gum disease; some are minor and treatable whilst the advanced stages of gum disease can cause you to lose your teeth completely. It is basically the deterioration of the gums that hold your teeth in place. Some people have naturally weak gums, despite cleaning well, whilst others simply neglect their teeth. It is more common with older people, but gum disease is still very common among teenagers.
We all know that neglecting your mouth causes bad breath, plaque and ultimately cavities, but did you know that plaque and lack of cleanliness causes gum disease. Early signs include swollen gums, bleeding when cleaning your teeth and general irritation. If oral hygiene isn’t taken care off at this point, the gums will begin to wear away and can result in loose teeth and ultimately them falling out.
Only you and presumably your dentist will know if you have bad teeth or gums and the only way to turn this around is to clean them twice daily. Thus the only way to really treat gum disease is to stay on top of your oral hygiene. If it reaches a more advanced level though, there is gum disease treatment you can have, administered by your dentist.
Scale and Polish – Your dentist may do this regularly without you paying much attention, but a scale and a polish does wonders for getting rid of plaque build-up, which leads to gum disease. They essentially use a powered tool that vibrates and scrapes in order to clean and dislodge plaque that is beyond help from brushing.
Root Planning – Usually part of the scaling process, this aims to clean right near the gum and root of the tooth. It removes plaque and other toxins so that the gums can then heal properly and become healthy again.
Periodontal Surgery – This is at the extreme end of gum disease treatment and your dentist would have usually spotted a problem by then. Surgery may include procedures such as “pocket depth reduction” (filling the space between root and gum, where plaque can form), “crown lengthening” (reshaping the gums), and tissue grafts (to restore damaged gums).
Treating gum disease is now more important than ever. Poor oral health is linked to all sorts of other ailments, including some heart problems, due to the bacteria traveling around the body. An unhealthy mouth can detrimentally affect your overall health and well-being, so keep it fresh and clean.
DENTAL CARE NETWORK™ is an Australian network of dentists and dental pratices offering quality, professional dental services such as teeth whitening, wisdom teeth removal and porcelain veneers. Our network features Sydney dentists, Melbourne dentists and dental practices in many locations around Australia.