September is National Gum Care Month, and that means, it is time to talk about ways to prevent disease and keep your teeth and gums on the right track. Your pearly whites aren’t the only things in your mouth that you must maintain. Your gums are crucial aspects to any smile, and when problems arise, it can not only affect your oral health, but it can lead to serious problems within your body. As dentists work to encourage patients such as yourself to establish healthy habits, find out what you can do to get started on a path to better gum health.
The Importance of Your Gums
To better understand how your gums work, let’s first identify them. They are the pale pink soft tissue that exists within your mouth and protect the roots of your teeth. When inflammation or infection reaches your gums, it can not only lead to damage within your oral cavity, but it can enter the bloodstream and negatively impact various areas of your body, including the heart, brain, and lungs.
What is Gum Disease?
When a patient is experienced red, puffy, or bleeding gums, it is likely that they are suffering from gum disease. Also known as periodontal disease, cases can range from mild to severe.
Mild Stage: Gingivitis
When gingivitis is present, the gums have a build-up of plaque and tartar above the gum line. Fortunately, this is easily reversible. All that is required is to have a thorough dental cleaning in addition to practicing good oral habits at home. Brushing and flossing are vital to keeping harmful bacteria from forming in the mouth as well as rinsing.
Severe Stage: Periodontitis
If gingivitis is left untreated, it can quickly escalate to periodontitis, which results in bleeding, infection, and inflamed gums. When this occurs, there is no way to reverse it, but your dentist can improve your gum health by performing a deep cleaning process known as scaling and root planing. Scaling is when your dentist will remove plaque and tartar from beneath the gum line, and root planing is the smoothing of the tooth root in an effort to encourage reattachment to the soft tissue.
Patients whose periodontitis is not treated properly can go on to experience bone and tooth loss, which will ultimately result in the need for tooth replacement solutions such as dental implants.
How Can I Prevent Gum Disease?
To prevent gum disease, here are a few tips you should consider:
- Maintain a good oral hygiene routine, which includes brushing for a full two minutes, twice a day; flossing at least once a day; and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash after brushing and flossing.
- Keep your regular dental checkups and cleanings with your dentist every six months. This allows for the effective removal of plaque and tartar build-up as well as an opportunity to check for any problems that might be occurring.
- Eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet that includes lean protein, vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats. Too much sugar or starch can cause bacteria to breed and burrow into the crevices of your teeth and gums, leading to tooth decay and gum disease.
Just because your teeth might be the first thing you see when you smile in the mirror, don’t forget about the area above and below your pearly whites. Good gum health is important and should never be taken lightly. By adhering to the provided tips, you can ensure your mouth looks and feels its best all day, every day.
About the Author
Gum disease is one of the most common dental problems seen by dentists. At Jacksonville Complete Dentistry, both Dr. Rose Johnson and Dr. Wayne Barker offer patients periodontal therapy as a way to restore gum health. As dental experts, Dr. Johnson and Dr. Barker help individuals regain their confidence and appearance by monitoring progress and quickly removing harmful bacteria before it has a chance to infect the gums.
Dr. Johnson graduated from college in Flagstaff, Arizona, before she moved to Denver to pursue a degree in dentistry. Once completing her DDS degree, she and her family moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where she is currently pursuing a Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry at the University of Florida. To learn more about Dr. Johnson, visit our website or call (904) 645-6457.