Hello and welcome to another edition of the New Albany Implants blog!
It is no secret that gum disease, whether it be simple gingivitis or advanced periodontitis, is far too common among American adults.
We see it time and time again in our Southern Indiana dentist’s office and studies indicate that more than half of the population will have some form of gum disease in the course of a lifetime.
Why is that such a big deal? Even though your teeth are the main attraction, your gums aren’t just extra tissue in your mouth. They deserve your full attention each and every day, if you expect to hang on to your natural smile and your overall wellbeing.
Today, we want to touch on a few things every patient should know about their gums. Keep reading to hear more about it, and then be sure to follow up with our team to schedule your consultation.
Brushing And Flossing Are Not Just For Your Teeth
Around here, we spend a lot of time cleaning, repairing, and replacing teeth for people. We know that it is always better for you to prevent tooth loss altogether now rather than enlisting us to place implants later.
Daily brushing and flossing are necessary to reduce harmful bacteria, remove food particles, etc. so that such things can’t cause big trouble for you. Your gums must remain in good shape so as to hold everything in place. So, you will want to give them some love while you are at it.
Most Tooth Loss Is The Result Of Gum Disease
Here’s the thing: advanced stages of periodontal disease cause your gums to separate from your teeth. That’s when bacteria can attack the bone that holds your teeth in place.
This can cause your teeth to feel loose or fall out of their sockets. It will be traumatic and embarrassing to live with, until you come in for a restorative treatment from New Albany Implants. But, like we said, you shouldn’t let it come to that!
Diabetes Is A Risk Factor For Gum Disease
This seems to work in both directions in terms of correlation and causality. One thing is that diabetes can lead to dry mouth, which raises your risk of gum disease.
Another thing is that periodontal problems can make it more difficult to control your blood sugar. So, the connection is real, if not fully understood just yet.
Babies Can Increase Your Odds
You might not realize it but during pregnancy, women produce more progesterone. This is important for the development of the child in utero. The bad news is that it’s also good for allowing dangerous oral bacteria to thrive. You will need to be extra careful if you are expecting.
Gingivitis Is Easily Reversible
Gingivitis, which is the mild form of gum disease, is characterized by swelling and bleeding, etc. And at this point, you often can often reserve the disease just by following the ADA guidelines for brushing at two minutes twice per day and flossing every day evening. If need be there are conservative treatments available at the dentist’s office for early gum disease.
Advanced Gum Disease Is Harder To Treat
If you aren’t aware of the problem and/or don’t take the steps to treat your gum disease in the early, easily-reversible stages, then you will need the help of a dental professional like Dr. Ron or Dr. Brad to improve your situation later.
Scaling and root planing are one example of this. This is where a dentist or hygienist will clean below your gumline to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar from the roots of your teeth.
In many cases, this will get you back on the good road fast.
Gum Disease Only Gets Worse
Advanced symptoms include gums that bleed even when you aren’t brushing or flossing. Constant bad breath is another telltale sign. But increasingly loose teeth and receding gums are the other more obvious problems. If you don’t act on your body’s alarms, you will wind up looking to us for dental implants for sure. Not only that but if the bacteria that causes gum disease gets into your bloodstream, your entire body will be at risk for health problems.
We Can Help!
If you are ready to take action, contact us today! You can call us anytime at (812) 945-7645 to schedule a free consultation at New Albany Implants of New Albany, Indiana!