At home, there are two ways to avoid dental disease. One way is by taking preventative measures such as brushing your teeth daily. The other way involves treating the gum issues that may have already occurred. As a leading private dentist in Manchester, we will highlight the importance of keeping teeth in good condition and how ignoring issues can lead to gum disease. We will explore how to prevent gum disease, what to expect if you have gum disease, and the care needed to fix the issue.
What Is Gum Disease?
Also known as periodontal disease, Gum disease is a condition that causes the tissues that surround and support teeth to become inflamed and damaged. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss if not treated in time, harming your smile and jaw functions. It is caused by plaque — a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. If you don’t remove plaque daily, it can harden into tartar (calculus). The bacteria in plaque release toxins that irritate the gums, causing them to swell and pull away from the teeth. This creates pockets between the teeth and gums where bacteria multiply and cause further inflammation.
Gum disease can affect one or more of your teeth at once or progress slowly over time, affecting all your teeth simultaneously (symmetric). The disease usually affects both jaws on both sides of your mouth, but some people may be affected only on one side or not at all (asymmetric). It is one of the biggest reasons for tooth loss in the UK and is one of the reasons we often see patients come in for a consultation on our highly-rated teeth implants in Manchester.
What Are the Signs of Gum Disease?
There are many signs you may suffer from gum disease, which should never be ignored. The most common symptoms of gum disease are:
- Red or swollen gums
- Bleeding gums when you brush or floss
- Receding gums or an uneven smile
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms, you must seek treatment from your dentist. Getting seen early on can prevent pain and provides more chance of saving your teeth. As emergency dentists in Manchester, we often receive calls from patients who have ignored these early signs, leading them to be in a lot of pain.
Gum disease can be a serious health problem but can also be treated with the proper care and attention. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to prevent gum disease from occurring in the first place by removing any build-up as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will harden into tartar — which is much more difficult to remove.
In rare cases, gum disease can lead to bone loss around the roots of your teeth and tooth loss. If left untreated for too long, periodontal disease can cause serious damage to your gums and jawbone; however, most cases of gum disease can be reversed if detected early enough and treated properly.
If you do develop gum disease, your dentist may recommend one or more of the following treatments:
- Scaling and root planning: This deep cleaning treatment removes plaque and tartar from the teeth and the roots of the teeth.
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics can kill bacteria in the mouth and reduce inflammation.
- Surgery: In advanced cases of gum disease, surgery may be necessary to remove damaged tissue and promote healing.
How Can You Prevent Gum Disease?
Prevention is always better than treating gum disease, and you can do this in many ways without the inflated costs of professional treatments.
Practice good oral hygiene: Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, and floss at least once a day. This helps remove plaque and food particles contributing to gum disease.
Use mouthwash: Mouthwash can help kill bacteria in the mouth and freshen your breath. Look for an antiseptic mouthwash that contains chlorhexidine, which can reduce the risk of gum disease.
Quit smoking: Smoking is a major risk factor for gum disease. If you smoke, consider quitting to improve your oral and overall health.
Eat a healthy diet: A diet high in sugar and carbohydrates can increase the risk of gum disease. Try to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Get regular dental check-ups: Regular dental cleanings and check-ups can help to prevent gum disease and catch it early if it does develop.
General good dental hygiene routines are the best way to ensure you prevent gum disease, but improving diets and quitting unhealthy habits could be a way to improve the health of your teeth.
Can You Treat Gum Disease at Home?
Although seeing a dentist is the best way to cure gum disease, there are some at-home care options to help treat the issue. The first step is to brush and floss your teeth twice daily and get regular dental check-ups and cleanings. If you have gum disease, your doctor may prescribe medicine or do surgery to treat it. You should also see a dentist immediately if you have gum disease signs.
It’s important to know that gingivitis (the early stage of gum disease) can be reversed by removing plaque from your teeth and mouth. A soft brush is often used during cleaning because it can reach between teeth better than a toothbrush alone. It would be best if you used floss daily to remove food particles that may get stuck between teeth or under gums, where brushing cannot reach them.
Get the Help you Need Straight Away
In the end, keeping our teeth healthy is a lot like keeping our cars in good shape: it’s not something we think about too often because the work doesn’t need to be done that regularly. But ignoring the problem won’t make it go away.
Most instances of gum disease can be avoided with regular care, but if you have signs of gum disease, it’s best to contact your dentist immediately. As a leader in smile makeovers in Manchester, we understand the importance of having a smile you can be confident in, and gum disease is the biggest killer of a dazzling smile. However, if you have lost a tooth due to this disease, we can still help you; it is never too late to achieve your perfect smile. Take a look through our dental treatments or enquire online, and our expert team will call back to see how we can help you.