Are You Affected By Gum Disease?
We recommend that our patients visit our office every six months for a routine hygiene examination. You might be surprised to learn that during your exam we do more than clean and check your teeth for tooth decay. In fact, tooth decay is not the number one oral health issue that affects a large percentage of American adults—it is gum disease. Approximately half of American adults are affected by gum disease in some way. Gum disease is a serious gum infection, accompanied by inflammation, caused by bacterial growth along the gumline and around the base of the tooth. Gum disease is extremely serious due to its quiet but destructive nature. Unlike tooth decay, gum disease does not cause discomfort and, at times, does not present itself until immediate treatment is needed.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
As mentioned earlier, gum disease is often undetected due to its silent nature. Tooth decay is often detected quickly due to the obvious warning signs. Although not always obvious, there are warning signs that can alert you that a problem might be brewing with your gums:
- Bleeding gums when you brush or floss
- Persistent and unexplained bad breath
- Red and puffy gums
- Tenderness or discomfort around the gumline
- New spacing between teeth
- Loose teeth
How to Prevent Gum Disease
The best way to prevent gum disease is to maintain your routine hygiene examinations. In addition, it is extremely important to practice proper oral hygiene at home. Brushing your teeth properly, a minimum of twice daily, is essential. Flossing daily is important to help remove any remaining food and bacteria lingering between teeth. Mouthwash is also beneficial to further remove remaining bacteria away from the gumline. Eating a healthy, balanced diet also plays an important part in maintaining proper oral health.
When left untreated, gum disease will continue to worsen. If you are located in The Woodlands, TX area and are concerned about the state of your gums or you have not visited our office recently for an examination, we encourage you to call our office to schedule an appointment today.
