What Are the Risk Factors for Gum Problems?
Periodontitis, alternatively called gum disease, is a severe infection of the gums with the potential to damage the soft tissue and the surrounding bone supporting the teeth without treatment. Periodontitis results in loosening of the teeth and tooth loss.
Gum problems like periodontitis are a common condition but largely preventable. The problem results from the lack of appropriate dental hygiene by following poor oral hygiene practices, neglecting brushing and floss, or getting dental checkups frequently.
Regular dental checkups are essential to significantly enhance your chances of receiving successful treatment for periodontitis or reduce your chances of developing gum problems.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Gum Problems?
If you have healthy gums, they appear firm, appearing pale pink, and fit snugly around your teeth. The signs and symptoms of gum problems include swollen or puffy gums, bright red, dusky, or purplish gums, and gums that feel tender to touch. You might also experience bleeding gums and a pink-tinged toothbrush after brushing and spit blood when you brush and floss your teeth.
Besides the above, you might develop new spaces between your teeth and gums and notice your gums pulling away from your teeth to cause pockets and make your teeth appear longer than usual. You might also experience variances in your bite and loosening of your teeth besides lousy breath.
What Is the Best Way to Care for Your Gums?
The best way to care for your gums is to follow your dentist’s instructions and recommended schedule for dental checkups. Soon after noticing any signs and symptoms of gum problems, you must make an appointment to see your dentist at the earliest. The sooner you seek treatment for gum problems, the better your chances of reversing the damage.
Causes of Gum Problems
Dental plaque is the primary reason for gum problems. Plaque is a sticky film comprising mainly of bacteria. If left untreated, it leads to the development of gum problems that eventually progress to periodontitis.
The sticky film develops on your teeth and interacts with the sugars and starches in your foods, allowing your mouth bacteria to enjoy themselves. If you clean your teeth twice daily and floss at least once, you can remove the sticky film but must realize it forms again quickly. If not, the lack of proper dental hygiene results in mild gum problems called gingivitis.
The sticky film hardens below your gum line into tartar if you allow it to remain on your teeth. Tartar is challenging to remove and is populated by microorganisms. Brushing your teeth or flossing will not help remove tartar because it requires help from a dental professional for removal.
Gum problems progress to periodontitis if you ignore the ongoing gum inflammation. With time the pockets developing between your gums and teeth become home to more bacteria causing the pockets to become more profound. When not treated in a timely fashion, the deep infections cause bone and tissue loss. As a result, you could become a victim of tooth loss while the problem also strains your immune system.
Risk Factors of Gum Problems
Elements that increase your risk factors for gum problems include poor dental hygiene habits, smoking or chewing tobacco, hormonal changes related to pregnancy and menopause, use of recreational drugs or smoking marijuana, obesity, genetics, vitamin C deficiency, and medications that might leave you with a dry mouth or changes in your gums.
Complications with Gum Problems
Gum problems left untreated result in tooth loss. In addition, the bacteria responsible for the condition can enter your bloodstream to affect other body parts. For example, gum problems are linked with rheumatoid arthritis, coronary artery disease, respiratory disease, and challenges confronting blood sugar in diabetes.
Preventing Gum Problems
The optimum way to prevent gum problems from developing is to follow a program of excellent dental hygiene that you begin early and practice throughout your life consistently.
When you maintain appropriate dental hygiene practices by brushing your teeth twice a day in the morning and at night before going to bed, flossing before brushing to loosen food particles and bacteria helps you prevent the development of an environment around your teeth to favor the particular bacteria that cause gum problems. In addition, you also need to schedule regular appointments with your dentist more frequently than six or 12 months, especially if you have risk factors that can make you prone to gum problems.
Gum problems are preventable with the practices described in this article. However, if you develop them, you must seek the essential treatment you need from Fox Creek Dental by Espire, Thornton, to reverse the condition if it is in the early stages or maintain the situation if you have aggressive periodontitis.
Click to listen highlighted text! What Are the Risk Factors for Gum Problems? Sep 20, 2022 Periodontitis, alternatively called gum disease, is a severe infection of the gums with the potential to damage the soft tissue and the surrounding bone supporting the teeth without treatment. Periodontitis results in loosening of the teeth and tooth loss. Gum problems like periodontitis are a common condition but largely preventable. The problem results from the lack of appropriate dental hygiene by following poor oral hygiene practices, neglecting brushing and floss, or getting dental checkups frequently. Regular dental checkups are essential to significantly enhance your chances of receiving successful treatment for periodontitis or reduce your chances of developing gum problems. What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Gum Problems? If you have healthy gums, they appear firm, appearing pale pink, and fit snugly around your teeth. The signs and symptoms of gum problems include swollen or puffy gums, bright red, dusky, or purplish gums, and gums that feel tender to touch. You might also experience bleeding gums and a pink-tinged toothbrush after brushing and spit blood when you brush and floss your teeth. Besides the above, you might develop new spaces between your teeth and gums and notice your gums pulling away from your teeth to cause pockets and make your teeth appear longer than usual. You might also experience variances in your bite and loosening of your teeth besides lousy breath. What Is the Best Way to Care for Your Gums? The best way to care for your gums is to follow your dentist’s instructions and recommended schedule for dental checkups. Soon after noticing any signs and symptoms of gum problems, you must make an appointment to see your dentist at the earliest. The sooner you seek treatment for gum problems, the better your chances of reversing the damage. Causes of Gum Problems Dental plaque is the primary reason for gum problems. Plaque is a sticky film comprising mainly of bacteria. If left untreated, it leads to the development of gum problems that eventually progress to periodontitis. The sticky film develops on your teeth and interacts with the sugars and starches in your foods, allowing your mouth bacteria to enjoy themselves. If you clean your teeth twice daily and floss at least once, you can remove the sticky film but must realize it forms again quickly. If not, the lack of proper dental hygiene results in mild gum problems called gingivitis. The sticky film hardens below your gum line into tartar if you allow it to remain on your teeth. Tartar is challenging to remove and is populated by microorganisms. Brushing your teeth or flossing will not help remove tartar because it requires help from a dental professional for removal. Gum problems progress to periodontitis if you ignore the ongoing gum inflammation. With time the pockets developing between your gums and teeth become home to more bacteria causing the pockets to become more profound. When not treated in a timely fashion, the deep infections cause bone and tissue loss. As a result, you could become a victim of tooth loss while the problem also strains your immune system. Risk Factors of Gum Problems Elements that increase your risk factors for gum problems include poor dental hygiene habits, smoking or chewing tobacco, hormonal changes related to pregnancy and menopause, use of recreational drugs or smoking marijuana, obesity, genetics, vitamin C deficiency, and medications that might leave you with a dry mouth or changes in your gums. Complications with Gum Problems Gum problems left untreated result in tooth loss. In addition, the bacteria responsible for the condition can enter your bloodstream to affect other body parts. For example, gum problems are linked with rheumatoid arthritis, coronary artery disease, respiratory disease, and challenges confronting blood sugar in diabetes. Preventing Gum Problems The optimum way to prevent gum problems from developing is to follow a program of excellent dental hygiene that you begin early and practice throughout your life consistently. When you maintain appropriate dental hygiene practices by brushing your teeth twice a day in the morning and at night before going to bed, flossing before brushing to loosen food particles and bacteria helps you prevent the development of an environment around your teeth to favor the particular bacteria that cause gum problems. In addition, you also need to schedule regular appointments with your dentist more frequently than six or 12 months, especially if you have risk factors that can make you prone to gum problems. Gum problems are preventable with the practices described in this article. However, if you develop them, you must seek the essential treatment you need from Fox Creek Dental by Espire, Thornton, to reverse the condition if it is in the early stages or maintain the situation if you have aggressive periodontitis.