Gum disease- the evil that rears its ugly head throughout Swindon day after day. It generally comes from the way you look after your teeth at home: do it well with all the best products that are out there and yippee, you’ll be well on your way to caring for your teeth, but be warned, slip up and you will be opening a portal to hell in your mouth. Gum disease can be a bitch of a problem to fight and even harder to recover from if it gets its feet under the table- and you should be aware of the danger signs such as bleeding or weeping gums. If you are suffering from this then get your butt down to the dentist as soon as you can. Good oral hygiene is a way to navigate such turbulent seas and make sure that that your teeth are free and clean from the threat of bacteria. It may also take a big change in the way you go about your ways with your diet- cut out the exuberances and give you mouth a chance to breathe. And then, throw anything herbal at it because you put the zest back into your gums. But here’s another warning: gum disease can not only threaten the health of your mouth and cause your teeth to fall out, but it can also cause the heart, and other organs to fail in the long term in your body if allowed to run riot.
Gum disease is a killer in Swindon for the body and for the teeth. Essentially, once the gums become infected so does the blood and over a sustained period of time, can lead to the breakdown of the important organs in the body such as the heart, liver and kidneys; of course it can also lead to tooth loss. But it also can be stopped and in some cases reversed. Most severe cases may require surgery at the dentist that entails bone and gum grafting, lesser cases can be solved with pocket cleaning around the gums and deep scaling. But really the problem is solved in the home; obvious initial answers are the methods we employ to clean our teeth on a daily basis, brushing, flossing, mouthwashes, etc, though if the disease has set in, it may more than just a normal oral hygiene program to remedy the problem. The disease has been linked quite strongly to diabetes, smoking, stress, diet and deficiencies of vitamin c and d in our diets. All of these should be addressed, by seeking professional help before the problem of the disease can be remedied, then its back home again to tackle it on your own again. Many dentists are recognizing the value of natural solutions such as the soothing qualities of cranberry juice and herbal remedies such as tea tree oil, aloe vera and clove oil that readdress the imbalance in the gums, making the blood flow again around the teeth and helping them to regenerate.
Whenever it comes to looking after ourselves in Bristol, we should always try to get into some form of routine so that it becomes automatic and that mind-set should also be the template for how we look after our teeth too. The problems such as plaque, gum disease and eventually tooth loss are borne out of bacteria being able to ply its ugly trade in the mouth; this comes as a direct consequence of poor oral hygiene on a daily basis- after all, it only takes 24 hours for bacteria to get its claws in. There are enough products on the market today to do the job required to keep your mouths healthy so there is no real excuse why you shouldn’t be brushing your teeth with a suitable brush and toothpaste at least twice a day- routine remember? Then there are a great range of back-up products to help; dental flosses and small inter-dental brushes are great for getting right into the nooks and crannies where normal toothbrushes cant. This can be also backed up by some excellent mouthwashes on the market designed to cater for all problems in the mouth. Herbal products are very popular too these days and can only help in the fight to look after your teeth: marry all of these together with regular outings to the dentist and there is no reason at all why you hold onto your teeth forever.
We’d all like to see our days out in Weston-super-mare with our teeth in place, but one of the greatest threats posed to our teeth is gum disease. Many dentists can help this problem by doing what they know best and can help in aiding the threat. It’s important that the jaw bone that houses the teeth are kept free from infection otherwise the problem becomes incurable. Regular visits and deep cleaning around the gums can thwart gum disease, but seeing as the average person only visits the dentist twice a year, it’s pretty much down to all of us as individuals too look after ourselves with a high level of oral hygiene. The first signs of the problem are bleeding gums- an immediate consultation with the dentist should be sought to assess the depth of the problem- then its self preservation time. Regular cleaning and flossing can help to prevent the build up of bacteria in the mouth, mouthwashes and rinsing with warm salty water can also help, but its what you brush with and the products that you use that are important at this stage so you should ensure you get the right brush and paste for maximum effect. Smokers and diabetics are also at high risk, as are people with poor diets to the threat of gum disease. However, when your gums fist become infected, they need to be calmed before you start an intense cleaning program; herbal remedies are excellent for this and products such as aloe-vera and tea tree oil are excellent for giving back the gums some status quo.
Gum disease affects a great number of adults in the United Kingdom, many of whom are not even aware that they have the condition. If it is caught early and dealt with then it is not a big deal and your mouth can easily return to excellent health, but failure to do so can have difficult and painful consequences for the health of your mouth.
Understanding what causes gum disease is helpful in attempting to beat the condition. Just like your teeth, gums need to be kept free from plaque. This acidic substance that is formed when we eat and drink, causes gums to become inflamed. Early stages of inflammation are known clinically as gingivitis. This is where your gums start to become a little redder and might be slightly sensitive either when you are brushing or eating or drinking things that are extreme temperatures.
The good news is that even if gingivitis has taken hold, it is easy to reverse the effects. If your Swindon dentist determines that you have gingivitis he or she will usually simply advise you to tighten up your home routine of looking after your mouth. It might be that you need to brush more effectively or get into the habit of flossing. In some cases a course of antibiotics is prescribed. Either of these measures will usually be enough to get your mouth back to rude health.
The alternative to sorting out gingivitis is allowing it to progress into periodontitis. This most advanced form of gum disease is extremely painful, will require treatment and is best avoided. In such cases the inflammation spreads to the bones in your jaw that hold your teeth in place. Tooth loss becomes a real possibility as your gums begin to recede dangerously.
For too many people, looking after their gums is just an afterthought. The evidence of this is the high rates of gum disease that there are amongst United Kingdom adults. But taking care of your gums should be just as important as looking after your teeth. It is not difficult to do so but failure to carry it out properly can lead to patients actually losing teeth.
Your gums are a vital part of your mouth, a sensitive tissue which helps to hold your teeth in place effectively. They can become diseased if there is too much plaque in the mouth and it is not adequately removed. Just as plaque makes teeth decay by wearing down the enamel, it makes gums become inflamed.
You can spot the signs of basic gum disease – your dentist might call it gingivitis – easily. Your gums ought to be a nice, healthy shade of pink but if they are starting to become inflamed they will be noticeably redder. You can look out for this is the mirror when you are brushing your teeth. You may also find that your mouth is generally more sensitive to hold or cold food and drink like tea or ice cream.
The key to taking great care of your gums is not just to brush your teeth well but also to floss. Plaque just loves to hide between your teeth and if it is left on the gum line it will eventually lead to gingivitis. Go and see your Weston-Super-Mare dentist every six months too so that they can keep a close eye on how your teeth and gums are doing. Treating gum disease in the early stages is usually quick and easy.
It’s always been thought that gum disease in Swindon is not reversible and to a point, that’s true- there is no cure that will make your gums magically grow back. But it can be stopped dead in its tracks and new life injected into the gums that have been damaged. In its infancy, gum disease can be prevented by a good oral hygiene agenda and by having any plaque and tartar removed by your dentist through either having deep scaling or by having bacteria removed from within the roots; antibiotics can also check the progress of gum disease. However if the problem is more pronounced, root canals and crowns, surgery in the form of bone grafts or, in the case of tooth loss, dental implants can be used to keep the gums healthy. It’s been said over and over again that prevention is better than cure. As well as attentive oral hygiene and getting in-deep and personal with your gums by using balms and herbal remedies, diet plays an important part in ‘reversing’ gum disease. Acidic foods and sugars are a bacteria’s best friend so being wary of what you eat and being sure to remove it afterwards, should suffice. But a good diet will also help build up your immune system and help naturally in the fight against gum disease. If you’ve got it, it may require a lifestyle change and you being more attentive towards your mouth, but boy, it’s worth it in the end…that’s if you care for your teeth and body.
There are many factors that contribute to gum disease in Weston-super-mare- diet, medication, smoking and poor oral hygiene being among them. But whatever has caused the problem, it’s imperative that it is addressed as soon as possible, for aside from gum disease leading to tooth decay and loss, it is also considered to be the cause behind more life threatening issues such as abscesses, heart disease, diabetes and blood poisoning. Any dentist will advocate a regular, daily program of oral hygiene and there are a lot of products out there to do the job. This is to ensure the removal of plaque and tartar- the main cause of gum disease. But take your eye off the ball and suddenly you have problems and that’s where your dentist comes in. A dentist can remove plaque and tartar but once gum disease has got its claws in, it takes a lot more work and effort to stop it advancing any further. A deep scale and polish can ensure the teeth are super-clean, but sometimes root planning may be required to remove bacteria from the roots themselves. Worse of all, it may take surgery followed by antibiotics to solve the problem. If you do your homework along with your dentist, you’ll also find a lot of herbal remedies around to help your cause.
Taking excellent care of your mouth is not exactly rocket science, which is a good thing! By following a few simple guidelines you can ensure that you have a life time of good oral hygiene, allowing your mouth to function as it should. The consequences of not pursuing good oral hygiene habits can be rather inconvenient to say the least.
The main aim of taking care of your mouth at home is to remove plaque, a troublesome subject produced when you eat and drink. Plaque is what causes teeth to decay and gums to become diseased. First of all you should be brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Use tooth paste which contains fluoride because it helps to strengthen enamel (the hard substance which coats your teeth). You ought to brush for about three minutes at a time but not too aggressively as it can damage the very things which you are trying to look after.
Make sure you floss too as plaque can easily be missed by your tooth brush, no matter how adept you are at using it. Plaque finds its way between teeth and can only be removing by pulling floss back and forth. Eat a healthy, balanced diet too as this should minimise the amount of plaque which is produced in your mouth. Avoid such activities as regularly drinking too much alcohol and smoking as they can be bad for the health of your mouth.
Your Bristol dentist will be an expert in all areas relating to the hygiene of your mouth so you shouldn’t hesitate in asking him or her if you have any queries about how best to look after your teeth and gums.
There are many reasons to maintain healthy gums in Swindon. Gum disease can cause many problems throughout the body as well as the mouth- gums can weep and bleed, causing bad breath, heart disease, oral cancer and tooth loss. The way of stopping problems arising in your gums starts with having a healthy diet, as this can affect the level of saliva in the mouth; good saliva levels breakdown the bacteria that leads to a build up of plaque and tartar and invariably gum disease. Of course, good oral hygiene helps to maintain healthy gums. Most dentists will advocate a daily program of brushing and flossing at least twice a day, with a correct toothbrush and toothpaste, backed up by mouthwashes. But also, any part of the body will respond to stimulation and it’s no different with gums, gentle massaging of the gums with herbal oils, exercising the teeth by chewing gum and flossing will activate the blood in the gums and keep them healthy. If you visit your dentists regularly, they will also be able to gauge the health of your mouth and rectify any problems that may have cropped up since your last appointment. Healthy gums rely on a choice of lifestyle. If you take things in moderation, such as smoking and drinking whilst keeping your body healthy, there’s no reason why your gums and teeth shouldn’t remain healthy too.
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry
