Suffering from gum disease? A Bristol dentist has the answer

Gum disease isn’t curable in its advance stage; this is called Gingivitis and is the periodontal disease that eats away at the gum line. It is caused by bacteria infecting the gums by entering them through cuts and sores on the bottom of the ridges. Bacteria is a resident of our mouths and we need it to get rid of the food residue that lingers in between the teeth. However, like all good things it has its drawbacks and acid production is one of them, this eats away at the tooth enamel and the gums and sets them up for infection. Once an infection takes a hold a lot of damage can be done in quite a short period of time, obvious ones are an abscess or a boil which can both be very painful. A dentist cannot work on a tooth that is infected by either one of these, first they will need to prescribe a course of antibiotics to clear up the complaint. Then they can look at the root cause of the problem, this is usually due to bacteria seeping into the gums and can lead to further problem. The worse case scenario as mentioned is Gingivitis which is an advanced case of periodontal disease; and is irreversible. Once the gum line disappears then tartar builds up on the exposed root of the tooth and wears it away, this always leads to the loss of the tooth prematurely unless it is kept at bay. One of the best ways is to make sure you floss in between the teeth at every opportunity, and especially after a snack or meal. Plaque is dead bacteria and tartar is an accumulation of that plaque, your dentist will clean tartar away when they do your half yearly check up, but you must also do your bit to keep this build down to a minimum.

February 22, 2010 at 5:20 am | No comment

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Dr Gerrard's smile makeover photos have been selected to be featured on the cosmetic dentistry guide - an educational resource with information on teeth whitening, dental implants, dental veneers, invisalign and much more. He is also an expert on the Inman Aligner Guide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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