Periodontist Advice: If You Frequently Get Gum Infections

Gum disease primarily results from infections and inflammation of the gums and bone surrounding and supporting the teeth. In its earliest stages, gum disease causes gums to become swollen and red, besides bleeding. If the condition is left untreated, it progresses to periodontitis when the gums recede from the teeth, causing bone loss, and loosening the teeth makes them fall out eventually.

Periodontal disease is prevalent in adults in the US, and besides tooth decay, it is one of the biggest threats to dental health. Recent reports from the CDC provide data stating 47.2 percent of adults over 30 and older are affected by some form of periodontal disease. Unfortunately, the condition increases with age affecting 70.1 percent of adults over 65.

Periodontal disease is more prevalent in men than women among people living below the federal poverty level. Besides smokers, people without a high school education are also prone to the problem.

What Is the First Stage of Gum Disease?

In its earliest stages, gum disease is called gingivitis, which infects the tissue surrounding the tooth to cause inflammation around it, leading to periodontal disease. When the bacteria remain on the teeth for an extended period, they create a sticky film called dental plaque. Eventually, the plaque hardens into tartar and spreads below the gum line, making cleaning challenging. The best way to remove plaque and hardened tartar is to visit the dentist near me for a professional cleaning to stop the progress of periodontal disease.

Can You Inherit Periodontal Disease from Your Parents?

Out of the many risk factors of periodontal disease, which include smoking, diabetes, poor oral hygiene, stress, crooked teeth, underlying immunodeficiencies such as AIDS, defective fillings, medications causing xerostomia, incorrectly fitting bridges, female hormonal changes during pregnancy or the use of oral contraceptives, genetics is also a risk factor for developing periodontal disease. Therefore if your parents have gum disease, you can inherit the condition from them and become prone to an infection that requires treatment from the dentist in Manteca, CA.

Periodontal Disease Warning Signs

The warning signs of periodontal disease include:

• Lousy breath or an awful taste in your mouth that doesn’t subside.
• Red or swollen gums.
• Tender or bleeding gums.
• Painful chewing.
• Sensitive and loose teeth.
• Gum recession.
• Changes in your bite and the fit of partial dentures.

Prevention And Therapy

Gingivitis is preventable by maintaining good oral hygiene and six monthly professional cleanings from dentists. Unfortunately, if gingivitis progresses to periodontal disease, you can receive successful treatment but may need more extensive therapy from periodontics in Manteca, CA. The therapies you need will include a deep cleaning of the tooth surface and beneath your gums, prescription medications for oral ingestion or placement directly under the gums, and corrective surgery such as bone grafting and flap surgery.

If you intend to prevent or control periodontal disease, it is essential for you to adopt a dental hygiene regimen of brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing at least once to eliminate bacteria responsible for gum disease. You must also visit your dentist at least once in six months or more frequently if you have advanced periodontal disease for continued care to ensure the condition doesn’t worsen.

If you are frequently affected by gum disease, you must change your dental hygiene regimen by requesting dentists for the best techniques to clean your teeth appropriately and refrain from certain lifestyle habits like smoking that increase your risks of developing gum disease. Gum disease is a preventable infection you can avoid by maintaining excellent dental hygiene and visiting dentists for cleanings every six months. However, if you neglect dental hygiene practices and visit your dentist, you become vulnerable to infection that remains with you for life because periodontal disease doesn’t have a cure, although it is treatable.

Dental exams and cleanings also help you detect loose restorations in your mouth that might be responsible for the infection and help identify whether medications are creating a dry mouth to leave you with reduced saliva flow in the mouth to encourage bacterial buildup around your teeth. Therefore besides maintaining excellent dental hygiene, you must ensure you visit the Manteca dentist frequently for exams and cleanings if you want to avoid visits to periodontics in Manteca to receive intensive treatments.

Valley View dental — Manteca provides treatment for periodontal disease in any stage, whether gingivitis or aggressive periodontitis. If affected by this condition, kindly consult these specialists to receive therapy to control the problem.