How to Prevent Gum Disease

In your pursuit of excellent oral health, do not overlook the health of your gums, which can be reason enough to merit emergency dentistry. Instead, care for your gums and jawbone as much as you do your teeth. This way, you can avoid gum disease that is very common among patients.

What Is Gum Disease?

It is an infection of the gum tissue. The medical term for gum disease is periodontal disease, as it affects the periodontium of the mouth, including the bone tissue thereof. While gum disease is a common problem among people, very few people seek treatment for it. In many cases, gum disease resolves on its own. It is particularly the case for the early stages of gum infection, often called Gingivitis.

However, over time, the infection can spread and advance in severity. This state is called periodontitis and has far worse symptoms than Gingivitis. Without treatment, you can completely compromise your oral health, with some permanent damages to scar your dental health. Seeking treatment, therefore, must be considered a necessity, not a luxury.

Why is Periodontal Treatment Necessary?

Whether you know it or not, treating the infections in your mouth as early as possible is the best remedy. When you leave any infection in your mouth untreated for a long time, you allow room for progression and advancement. As the infection spreads to other parts of your mouth, the symptoms you experience become more severe as you go. With time, you will incur severe and permanent damages to your mouth if you don’t get periodontal treatment. It is why many patients with gum infections end up in dental ERs for emergency treatments.

Consequences of Untreated Periodontal Disease

Depending on how progressed and advanced your infection is, some of the consequences of untreated periodontal disease include:

• Receded gums – the longer your gums are infected, the further they pull away from your teeth. With time, you will notice that the roots of your teeth are exposed due to the lack of proper support from teeth.
• The disintegration of the jawbone – even though periodontal disease mostly affects the gums, it can also affect the jawbone. The more the infection lingers in your mouth, the more likely it is to affect the health of your jawbone. As the infection does so, it causes the deterioration of the bone tissue thereof.
• Shaky teeth – as soon as you begin to see the roots of teeth, be cautious to seek dental care. If not, your teeth will begin to feel shaky. Since the health of both the gums and jawbone is compromised, your teeth will not be stable. Worse, they may begin to fall off, one after the other. The weaker the support system, the more likely it is that your shaky teeth will start falling off.
• Shifting teeth – if your teeth have not started falling off, they will start shifting. The bone tissue and your gums are not strong enough to hold your teeth in position. Therefore, they may begin to shift, which will also be a reason for them to potentially fall off with time.

Can You Prevent Gum Disease?

Yes. You do not have to keep harboring an infection in your mouth for the rest of your life. Based on the varying causes and risk factors of gum disease, you can prevent the infection from happening in the first step. The idea is to master the periodontal disease causes, then do what it takes to avoid them. Some tips you can follow are:

• Keep your mouth clean – make efforts to brush your teeth 2-3 times every day. You also must floss to remove any food residues and plaque from in between your teeth. While at it, consider regular dental visits for professional cleaning, which is a great way to boost your oral hygiene.
• Quit smoking and other tobacco usages – it is a necessary lifestyle adjustment that will decrease your risk of getting gum disease.
• Seek treatment for oral problems early – whether a mouth sore or a dental cavity seeking treatment for any underlying dental issues will ensure you don’t have any lingering infection in your mouth.
• Quit taking alcohol, or reduce its consumption thereof.
• Eat healthily – vegetables and fruits contain necessary nutrients and vitamins that will boost your body’s immune system against infections even in your mouth.