Gum Disease: What You Need To Know
As we learn about oral hygiene, there’s a lot of emphasis on tooth care, but not so much attention is paid to proper gum care. Taking care of your gums is just as important as having clean teeth. No matter how well you brush your teeth, if you aren’t taking steps to prevent gum disease, you’re risking major oral health problems.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue that causes it to recede, exposing the sensitive tooth roots. If gum disease is allowed to progress without treatment, it will result in tooth and bone loss. The infection can also spread to other parts of the body, including the stomach, heart, and lungs.
What to Watch For
Initially, the symptoms of gum disease are subtle and usually painless. You may not even see a difference in your gums in the early stages of the disease. However, as gum disease progresses, the signs become much more evident. If you experience any of the following, it’s time to schedule an appointment at Gables Exceptional Dentistry:
- Tender, swollen, red gums
- Bleeding every time you brush your teeth
- Separating or loose adult teeth
- Teeth start to look longer
- Persistent bad taste in your mouth
Any of these issues could be a sign of gum disease and must be investigated. Only your dentist can tell you if you have gum disease and how advanced it is.
Tips For Maintaining Healthy Gums
- Floss: Flossing to remove plaque from between your teeth and gums is an essential daily step in maintaining healthy gums. When you have less plaque buildup, you’re less likely to get gum disease.
- Brush: At a minimum, brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time. For part of those two minutes, gently brush your gums and tongue to remove harmful bacteria.
- Rinse: Choose a gum care mouth rinse approved by the American Dental Association to incorporate into your daily oral hygiene routine. A good mouth rinse is one more tool you can use to fight tartar buildup.
- Don’t Smoke: Smoking (any tobacco product, for that matter) weakens your immune system, making your body less able to fight off infection. This leaves you far more vulnerable to gum disease. Vaping is no better, as research shows similar links between e-cigarettes and lowered immune response.
Gum Disease Treatment
There are many types of treatments depending on the severity of the gum disease. If we catch it early, the solution may be as simple as developing a better oral care routine with more guided brushing and an effective mouth rinse. Later stages of gum disease may require a deep cleaning combined with an at-home treatment like a specially formulated rinse. If gum disease becomes severe, however, then we may have to perform gum surgery to eliminate the infection and repair damaged tissue.
At Gables Exceptional Dentistry, we offer laser gum disease treatment, which is more comfortable, more accurate, and faster than treatment with conventional dental tools. With laser treatment for gum disease, we can restore your oral health quickly and painlessly.
If you are concerned about your oral health, think you may have gum disease, or you’re due for a cleaning, call our office located in Coral Gables, FL to schedule an appointment. We would be happy to see you!
