While it is still considered the “silent killer” by dentists today, gum disease is largely preventable. With regular oral care habits in place, you can avoid the worst side effects from this chronic condition. However, it’s important that if you notice the signs of gum disease, you don’t assume that they’ll get better on their own. The sooner you start adjusting your habits or seek treatment, the lower your risk will be of permanently damaging your gum and bone tissue.
For Gum Disease Awareness Month, learn how important it is to address gum disease in Bonita Springs!
Gum Disease and Systemic Conditions
Many people don’t realize that gum disease carries significant implications not just for your oral health, but your systemic health as well. As a result, dentists are increasingly taking the initiative to monitor patient’s risk for other conditions, especially if they currently have gum disease.
When your gums are inflamed as a result of plaque buildup, it actually puts you at higher risk of developing other conditions unrelated to oral health. This includes cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and other conditions shown to carry links to gum disease.
By effectively treating your gum disease, you’re actually improving multiple aspects of your systemic health.
How to Prevent Gum Disease
The first step of preventing gum disease is committing to regular dental exams and cleanings. Doing this allows you to gain the peace of mind that you’re taking all the steps to catch the early signs. It also helps you confirm that your at-home care is sufficient to preventing it from developing in the first place.
Speaking of at-home care, preventing gum disease is as simple as brushing twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste and flossing daily. This removes plaque that’s collected on the surface of your teeth and gums, effectively stopping gum disease development in its tracks. Of course, you’ll still need to visit the dentist once every six months for a professional cleaning as well. At-home care only goes so far and no amount of brushing or flossing will reach all the areas you need to in order to prevent gum disease.
Treatments for Gum Disease
In the event that you do develop gum disease, there are treatments you can consider at a dental office. A few of the most common treatments include:
- Scaling and Root Planing (SRP)
- Antibiotic Therapy
Scaling and root planing involves removing plaque from above and below the gumline, while root planing smooths out the tooth roots so that they reattach to the gums. In some cases, antibiotic therapy is used in tandem with SRP in order to promote better regrowth of gum tissue.
Are you in need of periodontal disease therapy in Bonita Springs? Schedule an appointment with a dentist to get your oral health back in the right direction!
About Pelican Landing Dental
The dentists and team members at Pelican Landing Dental are fully trained to help you treat and manage gum disease as well as provide helpful tips to improve your oral care at home. When you visit their office, you can take advantage of their treatments to ease your symptoms and reduce your risk for oral and systemic disease later in life. To learn more about the practice, you can contact the dentists via their website.
