Understanding the origins of your gum disease can provide your Long Island dentist with many tools needed to control and improve the issues revolving around gingivitis.
Gingivitis is basically inflammation of the gum tissue, and the precursor to developing a more serious problem called periodontal disease. Many believe the reason for their gingivitis is due to heredity, and that they are doomed to the same fate as family members.
However, popular wisdom follows that excellent oral hygiene could be the answer to solving problems you may have with your gums. Professional dental cleaning and dental exams twice per year, plus twice daily brushing with a fluoride toothpaste or gel and daily flossing are the basics to start relieving gingivitis.
A major contributor to this condition is plaque forming on the teeth. Without removing plaque, the foods we eat and beverages we drink allow more build-up of plaque on our teeth. Although you can’t see it, the plaque is working under the gum tissue leading to inflammation. Left untreated, this inflammation could progress to bleeding gums, bad breath, infection and even tooth loss. What started out as gingivitis becomes a more serious periodontal disease, which can lead to a lifetime of more extensive dental cleanings and treatment like root planning and scaling.
Other factors that might impact your dental health include diet, vitamin deficiency, smoking, and alcohol consumption – even stress. Stress can result in grinding your teeth, which can lead to damage to your teeth and gum tissue. A healthy diet and adequate vitamins will help promote good dental health, but these alone are not the total answer.
Also, it is very well documented that gum disease may be linked to heart and respiratory disease. And losing one’s teeth would most certainly impact overall health.
There is no one definitive symptom that would tell you that you have gingivitis. Only your dentist or dental hygienist is in a position to diagnose this condition. This is why those twice yearly visits to your dentist are so important. If your dental provider sees any of the symptoms, and they are caught early, you can immediately start a dental regimen that could save your teeth. Developing the good habits of excellent oral hygiene now might save your overall health in the future.