How to Manage Your Gum Disease
Those who have experienced it will tell you that suffering from gum disease may be among the worst experiences of your life. You will simply not be at your best until you have the problem treated. Also, known as periodontal disease or periodontitis, gum disease is an infection of your gums that is brought about by the presence of bacteria in your mouth. This condition mainly presents itself through an inflammation around the tooth.
You will begin to notice it by spitting blood every time you brush the teeth or also bleeding when you eat. If left untreated, gum diseases can lead to loss of teeth and in extreme cases cause serious illnesses such as heart diseases and cancer. This article will review some of the ways you can manage the condition before reaching such critical conditions.
Understand the Symptoms of Gum Disease
It is hard to manage a condition that you are not sure exists. This is why you first have to be sure about the disease by understanding the early symptoms. Common forms of these signs include:
- Swelling and redness of the gum
- Bleeding of the gums that are noticeable while flossing or brushing your teeth
- Bad breath
- Misaligned gums.
- Shrinking gums
- Sensitive teeth
- Weak teeth
Prevention of Gum Disease
Gum disease can more or less be avoided. If caught early enough, you can avoid huge expenses of treating it through surgery. In most cases, gum disease is caused by poor dental hygiene. Thus, gum disease can be prevented by changing your routine. Brushing your teeth at least two times a day is one of the best practices.
This should be done using a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Daily flossing is another good dental practice for avoiding gum diseases. Avoiding poor lifestyle behaviors such as smoking is also critical to avoiding this disease.
Maintain a Dental Check-up Routine
Most people consider regular dental appointments a luxury. This assumption makes them vulnerable to many dental diseases. It seems that only Americans with dental insurance make it a point to regularly visit their dentists. What you need to understand is that regular appointments to a professional dentist not only help in preventing serious disease but will also save costs in the long run.
Treatment of Gum Disease
The objective of any treatment of gum disease is to minimize the bacteria infection causing it. There are people that prefer homemade approaches to treat gum disease. However, it should be noted that these remedies work best as preventive measures or as treatment options when the disease in its early stages. Depending on how severe the problem is, your dentist may either adopt a non-surgical form of treatment or the surgical option in extreme cases.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Common non-surgical forms of gum disease treatment include:
- Deep cleaning and scaling
This is the first form of treatment of gum disease. This entails cleaning using special dental equipment that makes it possible to reach even under the gum line. After this, the dentist will perform scaling that entails removing harmful bacteria and tartar from the surface of your teeth and beneath your gum. Special ultrasonic devices help in breaking up the plaque that increase the risk of gum diseases
- Root planing
This practice entails preventing any new formation of bacteria and tartar in your gum. This is done by completely eliminating any rough patches and bacteria by-products forming around the tooth surface.
- Medication
Another form of gum treatment involves the use of antibiotics to control bacterial infections. These come in the form of gels, mouthwashes, or oral antibiotics.
Surgical Treatment Options
When your gum diseases have reached extreme levels, it may necessitate dental surgery on your gum. The different forms of this surgery include:
- Flap surgery
- Bone grafting
- Soft-tissue grafting
- Guided tissue regeneration
In conclusion, good oral hygiene is essential in avoiding dental diseases. Moreover, there is a need to maintain have dental checkups once in a while. This helps in the prevention and earlier detection of gum diseases.
