Looking after your smile requires more work than simply making sure your teeth are pearly and well-aligned. The gums play a crucial role in your dental wellbeing, in addition to your general wellbeing. Because most people may believe their gums are in good condition, they are frequently surprised when they are reported something else. Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is a harmful condition that deteriorates the gums that surround the teeth. The disease’s side-effects often occur without discomfort. Numerous tests have discovered a link that pairs gum disease and general health concerns, such as diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and specific cancers, as well as tooth loss.
However, there is exciting news: Periodontal disease can be evaded with comprehensive oral care. The simplest way to battle gum disease is to get oral care from capable dental professionals, like the team at DentalWorks – Durham. Our practitioners have extensive knowledge and training in the area of periodontal dentistry to uncover a number of conditions and manage gum disease.
THE IMPORTANT FACTS YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND ABOUT PERIODONTAL DISEASE
Frequently referred to as periodontal disease, gum disease is, in simplest terms, an infection in the gumline. Your gumline is the fleshy tissue that works to keep your teeth in their appropriate placements. Bad dental hygiene can lead a colorless substance known as plaque to collect and harden around the gum tissue. Although brushing and flossing may eliminate a portion of the bacteria, plaque that’s not cleaned away will develop into tartar and stick onto your enamel. Only a professional cleaning done by a dentist or dental professional can completely eliminate tartar.
If accumulating on the teeth, tartar and plaque operate together to bring about a moderate stage of periodontal disease that we call gingivitis. Gingivitis arises when plaque builds up on the enamel and forces the surrounding gumline to become inflamed. Tartar creates toxins that negatively affect your gum tissues, which triggers them to be red and puffy and, usually, resulting in bleeding.
When periodontal disease advances without treatment, more serious phases of gum disease will often result in sore and bleeding gum tissue, issues with chewing, and, possibly, tooth loss. That’s why it’s important to diagnose and address periodontal disease before the inflammation spreads throughout your mouth.
GUM DISEASE SIGNS TO KNOW
The ideal gums should be secure, pinkish, and fit snugly around your teeth. The first signs of periodontal disease are generally hard to identify by a normal patient. It is important to set up routine visits with the dental team at DentalWorks – Durham. They will work to determine the early warning signs of periodontal disease during routine teeth cleanings and dental exams. Symptoms of inflamed gums include puffiness, bright red tissue, tenderness, bleeding, splitting away from the tooth, additional spaces between your teeth, bad breath, loose teeth, painful chewing, and inconsistencies with your dental alignment.
INDIVIDUALS WITH PERIODONTAL DISEASE COULD BENEFIT FROM A VARIETY OF SURGICAL CARE SOLUTIONS
As individuals come to the more progressed stages of gum disease, they could require surgical treatments. Our dental professionals in Durham, NC provide numerous surgical gum procedures, namely gum tissue transplanting, gingival flap surgery, and others.
Gum disease regularly forces the gumline to recede, which will expose a section of the roots of the teeth. To revive your gums, our doctors may provide a gum grafting surgery. Commonly, your own connective tissue is used to carry out this operation. The donor gum tissue will be borrowed from the roof of your mouth and reinstated into your gumline, which reduces the tooth root exposure.
Gum surgery can benefit individuals in Durham, NC with severe periodontitis. Depending on the severity of your periodontal disease, there are a few methods we will likely use: gingival flap surgery, gingivectomy, or gingivoplasty. Gingival flap surgery shifts the gum tissue away from the teeth to uncover the tooth roots and allow our dentist to measure your situation. When this is complete, our dentist will carry out a deep cleaning to eradicate tartar and excess infected tissue. The separated tissue is then reshaped and sutured in the correct place. Meanwhile, a gingivectomy removes and alters a portion of the diseased gum tissue. This option is usually saved for people whose gum disease is further along. Lastly, a gingivoplasty is, at times, an aesthetic dental surgery that enhances and repositions the gumline after your periodontal disease has been treated, reinstating their proper health and looking more aesthetically appealing.
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN PREVENT PERIODONTAL DISEASE WHEN YOU FOLLOW THESE FIVE HABITS
The surest method to prevent gum disease is to learn an excellent at-home oral health routine. Obeying this convenient set of rules could help guarantee that your gorgeous smile endures for years to come:
Flossing your pearly whites is vital for excellent dental wellness.
Flossing at least one time daily can help eliminate plaque that might be wedged in between your teeth. Brushing your teeth is a necessary aspect of everyone’s oral care routine. However, doing so every day still will likely not reach every crevice.
Individuals should clean their teeth at least two times every day.
People who clean their teeth after breakfast, lunch, and dinner help to remove tartar and bacteria lodged in between their gum tissue and teeth. It’s just as crucial to not forget about the tongue. Use your brush to cleanse your tongue, as this will get rid of excess bacteria.
Purchase toothpaste and mouth rinses that contain fluoride.
Many think it’s challenging to know which oral care products are the best. As you’re shopping, pick a fluoride-containing toothpaste and mouth rinse. When used together, the two products can affect the rate at which food particles and plaque to pile up on the teeth.
Ensure that you see your dental practitioner twice each year.
Set up consultations with your dental care provider two times yearly for an oral health evaluation and cleaning. Dental assessments allow the team at DentalWorks – Durham to diagnose problems like gingivitis when they first arise. For those with dental worries, our Durham, NC facility utilizes numerous sedation techniques to address your nerves so you can have your examinations and cleanings easily.
Forego tobacco product usage.
People who use tobacco products (including dipping, cigarettes, or e-cigarettes) are more likely to be diagnosed with gum disease and oral cancer. Tobacco consumption affects the immune system, which makes it more challenging on your body to fight off harmful germs and heal afterward.
SAVE YOUR GUMLINE FROM DAMAGE AND RECESSION
Preventive oral care is necessary for the fight against periodontal disease. Choose a dentist you trust, and make sure to visit their facility every six months for dental exams and professional cleanings. At DentalWorks – Durham, we are skilled at preventing, detecting, and getting rid of periodontal disease, as well as various other periodontal wellness disorders. Get in touch with our staff today to set up a visit and begin your path toward ideal oral health.
