You might want to ensure you book your next cleaning soon. Having teeth regularly cleaned reduces gum disease. You may have heard about gum disease on various toothpaste commercials. However, having untreated gum disease can quickly advance into far worse situations. Research shows that 47.2 percent of adults 30 or older have some type of periodontitis. 100 million adults in America avoid visiting the dentist every year. If you’ve been avoiding the dentist, you’ll want to read at why taking care of gum disease is so important.
One of the major causes of dental problems is gum disease. This disease comes in many levels of severity. The first level of gum disease is gingivitis. Having gingivitis is a very mild type of gum disease and is easily treatable. One sign you have gingivitis is if your gums bleed easily. This doesn’t mean that gums will start bleeding for no reason. However, random bleeding can occur in advanced stages of gingivitis. The main area you will notice bleeding gums is when you floss your teeth. Repeatedly seeing blood on your floss is a sign of potential gingivitis.
Gum disease advances when left untreated. Gingivitis that goes untreated goes on to become periodontitis. This disease goes below the gum line spreading below the visible area of the teeth. Plaque often spreads quickly within the mouth. Letting gingivitis go untreated often leads to periodontitis. Having a periodontal disease is far more serious than a case of gingivitis. This disease causes gums to become increasingly inflamed and could lead to teeth falling out.
Letting a Professional Take Care of Gum Disease
There are ways to take care of gum disease at home. However, most at home measures will be only preventative in nature. The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth two times per day. However, it is certainly recommended to go above that number without overdoing it. People with gum disease may be advised to brush more often per day. It is also recommended that you practice flossing regularly. Brushing your teeth works well for surfaces but plaque also forms between teeth.
It’s best to find a local dentistry facility to have current gum disease taken care of. The first step to getting gum disease handled by a dentist will be to undergo a cleaning. These cleanings will professionally remove plaque. In turn, removing the plaque leads to the dentist having a clearer picture of your teeth.
Advanced cases of gum disease may require other dental procedures. In some cases, those with periodontal disease may need to have deeper cleaning than other patients. These cleanings work to remove plaque below the gum line. Some patients may require oral surgery in which case they may need to be sedated throughout the procedure.
In closing, taking care of gum disease is a must for optimal dental health. A mild form of gum disease is gingivitis. In many cases, gingivitis is caused by teeth not being cleaning properly. Having your teeth professionally cleaned helps to ensure plaque is removed regularly. More advanced cases of gum disease become periodontal diseases. Periodontitis means that plaque has spread below the gum line of the teeth. It is imperative that you have periodontal disease treated by a dentist. These treatments involve specialized cleanings to help keep plaque away.
