Gum Disease Guide
Gingivitis? Periodontitis? What you need to know….
Gum disease is something we often see, and get asked about here at our NW8 dental practice.
Adverts for toothpaste often mention gum disease and how bad it is for our teeth, but with so much advertising around, many of us can switch off to these important messages and remain none the wiser about this problematic disease. But it’s something we really do need to be aware of and how to avoid it.
Is Gum Disease A Big Deal?
Yes it is, in fact it can be extremely serious and cause major damage to the bone and soft tissue surrounding your teeth. Gum diseases can be relatively simple and involve some redness and inflammation around the teeth, or they can be really severe. In the most extreme cases, people will lose their teeth due to untreated gum disease. So it really is a big deal.
How Do I Get Gum Disease?
Gum disease is not a contagious disease, it’s something that is caused by poor oral hygiene and other contributing factors. Your mouth is full of bacteria which is completely normal. However, the bacteria in your mouth constantly merge with other particles in the mouth to cause plaque which sticks to the teeth. You tend to get gum disease when the plaque is not properly removed from the mouth using brushing and flossing, and so it infects the gums.
Are There Any Contributing Factors To Gum Disease?
Apart from a lack of attention to good oral hygiene, the following factors can increase your risks of getting gum disease;
- Smoking – There are so many reasons we advise people to quit smoking, and this is just one of them. Smoking greatly increases your risk of getting gum disease and if you continue to smoke during your gum disease treatment it will potentially make the treatment less effective.
- Hormones – Hormonal changes in women can cause the gums to become more sensitive and contribute to the gums susceptibility to gum disease.
- Diabetes – Diabetes causes a person to be more susceptible to any infection, and, as gum disease is an infection it means those with diabetes are more susceptible to getting it.
- General Health – Certain health conditions, illnesses and treatments can cause people to be more susceptible to gum disease. Generally any illness or treatment that lowers your immune system will make you more susceptible to gum disease.
Gingivitis & Periodontitis
Gingivitis is the name of the initial infection of the gums you will get when you get gum disease. This causes swollen painful gums that easily bleed. Gingivitis will not cause you to suffer bone or tissue loss in the mouth, and can be easily treated with an improved and sustained oral hygiene routine at home and regular checkups and maintenance from one of our friendly Abbey Road Dental staff.
When Gingivitis is not treated, it may advance to periodontitis which is much more serious. With periodontitis your gums pull away from the teeth and the gaps created become infected as debris and bacteria come into contact with them. The infection will then spread below the gum line and your body’s immune system will naturally fight it. This natural immune response plus the infection will combined, begin to break down the tissue and bone holding the teeth in place. If periodontitis is not treated, the tissue, gums and bones keeping the teeth in place will degrade and the teeth will eventually become loose and fall out or need to be removed.
What Are The Signs Of Gum Disease?
- Bad Breath
- Red, sore or swollen gums
- Bleeding gums (you may spit blood when you brush your teeth)
- Problems eating because of pain in the gums
- Loose teeth
- Sensitive teeth
- Receding gums
How Can I Prevent Gum Disease?
You can prevent gum disease by brushing and flossing your teeth every day, and by practicing good oral hygiene. You should also avoid smoking, one of the leading causes of gum disease.
Think You Have Gum Disease?
If you think you have gum disease, please pay us a visit at our friendly Abbey Road Dental practice in St John’s Wood. We will be more than happy to help treat any current issues you may have and work with you to prevent any future avoidable dental issues.