Family Health Tip – About Gum Disease

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is a very serious condition that can affect your and your family’s overall health, and can destroy the health of your teeth. Read on to find out how you can prevent gum disease for yourself and your family, and how you can notice the signs of gum disease quickly.

Gum disease can develop if your mouth is not cleaned properly, or if you don’t clean your mouth as often as you should. So, after each meal (or snack), you should make sure that you brush your teeth and/or rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash. You should also make sure that you are flossing once or twice a day-although too much flossing may cause the gums to bleed. This could be a sign of gum disease, so if you are experiencing pain or discomfort after flossing, then simply brush gently and consult your dentist as soon as you can to get more information on gum disease treatment.

Swollen gums, sensitivity in the teeth when eating, and feeling that your teeth are swollen are some of the other symptoms that you may experience if you have gum disease. You may also find puss in and around your gums, which can cause more pain and discomfort when you’re brushing and flossing. If you have experienced any of these symptoms, contact your dentist as soon as possible so that you can be further examined, and discuss treatment options that would be ideal for you, depending on how far along the gum disease is.

There are several treatments that you can take advantage of in order to get rid of gum disease, and many of them do not require surgery. You can get your gums and teeth thoroughly cleaned at the dentist’s office if you are in the early stages of periodontal disease, and you may be given a regimen to follow that includes flossing or brushing with gentler utensils in order to heal your gums. You can also talk to your dentist about soft tissue grafts, a procedure that uses soft tissue from other parts of the mouth to restore the parts of the gum that have been damaged by gum disease. You can also undergo crown lengthening, which elongates the crown and makes the teeth look longer. Many times, people with short crowns experience gum disease because there is unusual gum space in the mouth, which makes it easier for bacteria to enter the mouth.