DID YOU KNOW BACTERIA FROM THE GUMS CAN CAUSE HEART DISEASE?
Gum disease is not just about your oral health, but your overall health as well. The bacteria in your mouth are passed on through your body. There is a direct connection between your oral health and systemic health.
If you have firm healthy gums and it will keep your teeth longer and avoid health problems associated with gum disease.
Most people suffer from gum disease, and it is a major cause of tooth loss in adults.
Gum diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that result in major damage and infection of the tissues and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, bone anchoring the teeth in the jaw, gums and tissue that support the teeth are destroyed, making the teeth loose.
Our mouth is full of bacteria. The bacteria cause inflammation of the gums and a sticky, colorless film of bacteria called plaque forms on the surface of the teeth every day. The longer plaque and tartar are on teeth, the more harmful they become as it provides the right conditions for bacteria to thrive. The bacteria irritate the gums, which mean that they bleed more easily.
Whether your gum disease is stopped, slowed, or gets worse depends on how well you care for your teeth and gums, from this point forward.
If the disease progresses, the part of the gum that seals the tooth is weakened and gums pull away from the teeth and form spaces between the tooth. Bacteria or food debris become trapped in these spaces and grow below the gums causing further infection (redness and swelling). These bacterial toxins start to break down the bone and connective tissue that hold teeth in place.
To prevent and treat gum disease, you need to make sure you remove all the plaque from your teeth by daily brushing and flossing, and by professional cleanings at least twice a year by a dentist.
Severe gum disease may also be associated with several other health conditions such as diabetes, infective endocarditis, bacterial pneumonia and stroke.
Having a healthy mouth and gums can help improve your general health and reduce the stress of medical treatment.
Treatment methods depend upon the stage of disease, how far the condition has progressed and your overall health.
It is also possible to have gum disease and with no warning signs, that is why regular dental checkups are very important.
The number and types of treatment will vary, depending on the extent of the gum disease. Any type of treatment requires that the patient keep up good oral care at home.
We may also suggest changing certain behaviors, such as quitting smoking, reducing stress and maintaining a well-balanced diet as a way to improve treatment outcome.
Gum disease is a sign of serious oral health issues in the near future.
The main goal of treatment is to control the infection and progression of the disease and to promote reattachment of healthy gums to teeth.
See your dentist if you suspect you have gum disease. The sooner you treat it the better; early intervention to treat gum diseases can ensure the health and longevity of your teeth.
Root Planing and scaling is one of the most effective ways to treat gum disease before it becomes severe. It cleans the surfaces of the teeth and between teeth above the gum line.
Read More..- Deep cleaning improves the stability of the teeth and the health of the gums.
- It provides a deeper and more thorough cleaning as it eliminates bacteria from your mouth and infected tissue and promote healing and reduction in the space between the gum and the tooth.
Areas below the gum line, where gum tissue has detached from the teeth, are not accessible to clean, and so harmful bacteria can easily proliferate. These bacteria cause inflammation of the tissues, resulting in sensitivity, bleeding, and pain. You could even begin losing teeth.
Read More..Frequently Asked Questions
Periodontal or gum disease is an infection/inflammation of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It is caused because of poor brushing and flossing habits, that allows the bacterial deposits to build up on the teeth. These deposits first appear as a soft slimy layer called plaque. If plaque is not removed at this stage, it hardens into a hard stone like substance called tartar. The symptoms include:
- Bad breath that does not go away.
- Red or swollen gums.
- Tender or bleeding gums.
- Painful chewing
- Loosening of one or more teeth.
- Sensitive teeth.
- Receding gums or longer appearing teeth.
Periodontitis/ Gum disease can lead to gum abscesses, pus may ooze from around the teeth which can eventually lead to tooth loss and serious infections. The bacteria responsible for periodontitis can also enter your bloodstream through the gum tissue, possibly affecting other parts of your body. The bacteria causing gum disease is associated with an increased risk for other health conditions like:
• Diabetes
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Heart disease/ coronary artery disease
• Stroke
• Lung disease
• It also increases the risk of a woman giving birth to a premature or low birth weight infant.
• Regular dental cleanings; professional dental cleaning is the only way to remove tartar which gets deposited causing gum problems, as it does not get clean by brushing at home.
• Flossing twice a day; helps to remove the plaque and food that is beyond the reach of your toothbrush.
• Try to quit smoking; Smoking is strongly associated with the onset of gum disease.
• Use of therapeutic mouthwash; they are available over the counters and can help reduce the speed with which the tarter develops.
• Rinsing you mouth with water as soon as ones snacks for wat something.
If the disease has affected only the gums (Pyorrhea/Gingivities) it is reversible. This is obtain through the treatment of scaling and root planning which are simple and painless. However if the disease has progress to the underline bone and the tooth has become loose, at this stage the disease is not reversible. However it is possible to slow down or stop the rate of progression of the disease. This is achieved by advanced treatment example flap surgeries with bone/tissue grafts.
Yes, children can develop the first stage of gum disease that is gingivitise.Thus children should know the importance of keeping their teeth and gums healthy to prevent this disease. Children should maintain a regular oral hygiene by brushing and flossing their teeth twice a day.
You should also be aware of the warning signs of periodontal disease which include red, swollen, bleeding gums or bad breath that won’t go away and as a parent should keep a check. If your child develops any of these symptoms consult your dentist.
