In its earliest stage called gingivitis, gum disease causes gum inflammation. If left untreated, the condition worsens to affect the bone surrounding and supporting your teeth. Knowing how to prevent gum diseases gives you an advantage in your oral health care. Following these guidelines can keep you from struggling with this damaging condition.
Signs of Gum Disease
Gum disease starts with gingivitis. The disease then progresses to periodontitis and advanced periodontitis if you do not get professional help from your dentist. The condition also worsens if you do not take proper care of your teeth at home. The best methods regarding how to prevent gum diseases start with simple daily oral hygiene.
Gum disease often causes no pain. But signs you possibly suffer from the condition include:
- Bleeding gums when you brush or floss
- Tender, red or swollen gums
- Receding gums pulling away from your tooth
- Ongoing bad breath or foul taste in your mouth
- Loose, shifting or sensitive teeth
- Pain when chewing food
- Pus around teeth and gums
Gum disease starts and worsens when plaque builds on your teeth. This plaque is a sticky film forming on your teeth throughout each day and night, mainly after you eat. If this plaque remains on your teeth for too long, it hardens into tartar and enables even more plaque build up.
How to Prevent Gum Diseases
The best methods of how to prevent gum diseases include at-home oral hygiene and regular dental care with professional cleanings. You must brush and floss your teeth twice daily, to keep plaque from staying on your teeth long enough to harden into tartar. Once tartar develops, only a professional dental cleaning removes it.
There is no cure for gum disease, once you have it. You must keep the condition from growing worse to avoid more significant dental problems. Dental procedures that help you keep your gum disease under control include twice annual professional cleanings and a procedure called scaling and root planing.
Scaling and root planing treat the pockets that form where your gums meet your teeth at the gumline. It also helps with gum infection with the removal of plaque, tartar and food debris. The dental hygienist scales your tooth and root, smoothing them and treating the disease. For advanced gum disease, gingival flap surgery helps heal the gum pockets.
For your best dental health and disease prevention, find a dentist providing a range of dental services, including:
- Family dentistry
- General dentistry
- Restorative dentistry
- Cosmetic dentistry
Where You Gain Gum Disease Prevention and Treatment in Orlando, FL
In Orlando, FL S. Keith Mahan, DDS provides routine dental exams, professional cleanings, tooth whitening, and gum disease treatment. Dr. Mahan’s office offers a wide range of dental services for your whole family’s best dental health. These services include family, general, restorative and cosmetic dentistry. For your dental consultation, call S. Keith Mahan, DDS at 407-841-7241.
