How To Prevent Gum Disease

Gum disease is a very common condition which causes the gums to become inflamed. Most adults experience gum disease at least once in their lifetime, but if left untreated it can become a lot more serious. Luckily, there are plenty of simple ways in which you can avoid gum disease.

What Causes Gum Disease?

The most common cause of gum disease is bad oral hygiene. A pale yellow substance called plaque builds up on the teeth, and if you don’t remove it by brushing them, it will start to build up and this will irritate your gums, which will then begin to swell and become more sensitive. They will also be more susceptible to bleeding. Other causes of gum disease include:

• Smoking – smoking can affect the gum tissue, as it multiplies the harmful bacteria found in plaque.
• Poor diet – if your body doesn’t take in enough nutrients, the tissues in your mouth will be more vulnerable to infection.
• Age – The risk of gum disease increases as you get older.
• Family history – Gum disease can be hereditary.
• Diabetes – diabetes sufferers who don’t manage their diabetes properly are at a higher risk of gum disease.
• Stress – when you get stressed, your immune system becomes weaker meaning that it struggles to resist infection in all parts of your body, including the mouth.
• Weakened immune system – if you’re unwell already, you’re more likely to contract additional infections whilst your immune system is down.

Symptoms

There are two main kinds of gum disease, gingivitis (which means inflammation of the gums) and periodontitis, which occurs when gingivitis isn’t treated properly. Periodontitis can develop into a more severe form if left untreated.

Early symptoms of gingivitis include:

• Gums bleeding when brushing or flossing teeth
• Red, swollen gums

Symptoms of periodontitis include:

• Unpleasant taste in the mouth
• Halitosis
• Loose teeth that can cause difficulty when chewing food
• Gum abscesses – these are a collection of pus that develop under the teeth or gums

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you must see your dentist immediately.

Prevention

Thankfully, there are a number of ways to prevent gum disease altogether.

Brushing and Flossing

The main thing to do in order to avoid gum disease is is to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, preferably when you wake up in the morning and just before you go to bed at night. You should be using fluoride toothpaste, as it helps lessen the risk of tooth decay by reducing the plaque bacteria’s ability to create acid.

When cleaning your teeth, it’s important that you clean all sides of your teeth as well as your tongue, as bacteria gathers on there too.

Electric toothbrushes are more efficient at removing plaque than regular toothbrushes. The movement of the bristles means that plaque is eliminated faster, and you only need to hold the brush on the tooth as it oscillates, which means you don’t brush too hard.

Flossing is also very important in the prevention of gum disease as doing so removes plaque from the gum line, and you should floss as often as possible, the best time of day to do it being just before you go to bed. It doesn’t matter whether you floss before or after brushing your teeth, as long as you do it regularly.

Going to the dentist

Attending your dentist on a regular basis is another must if you want to keep your oral hygiene on top form and keep gum disease at bay. The dentist will spot signs of gum disease early and if necessary will give you a thorough clean in order to remove all plaque from the teeth and gums.

Stop Smoking

Stopping smoking will also reduce your risk of getting gum disease. If you’re looking for a good reason to quit, here it is. Those who smoke are 6 times more likely to develop periodontitis, and in some cases the teeth can become loose, therefore needing to be extracted.

Keep Your Diet Healthy

Good oral health is linked to having a balanced, nutritious diet. Try not to snack between meals and brush your teeth after each meal. Drinking plenty of water is a huge factor when it comes to preventing gum disease as it helps to wash away plaque and food debris from your teeth, meaning that risk of gum disease is kept to a minimum.