Contrary to popular belief, gum disease and not old age or tooth decay is listed as the number one cause of teeth loss. As you know, bacteria that causes periodontal disease wreaks havoc on the gum tissues as well as the bone cavity surrounding the teeth. As the infection progresses, your tooth becomes loose and eventually, it will detach from the bone cavity. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Gum diseases also give rise to various health conditions such as stroke and cardiovascular diseases. They have also been known to cause complications on pregnancy. But the good news is, gum disease is reversible. Your dentist can prescribe the appropriate periodontal disease treatment depending on the severity of your gum infection.
Earlier stages of gum diseases are easier to treat, if they are detected early on. A prescription of antibiotics as well as medicated toothpaste or mouthwash may be required to treat the infection. Apart from that, maintaining good oral hygiene practices in conjunction with your current gum disease treatment can help reverse the infection and steer you away from the adverse effects of periodontal diseases. A complete oral hygiene regimen includes brushing your teeth for three minutes, flossing after brushing and gargling with your prescribed antiseptic mouthwash. Also, a change in your diet can do wonders in boosting the healing of your gum infection. Most dentists recommend incorporating more hard fruits and vegetables in your diet as they help clean and strengthen your teeth and gums.
For more severe cases of periodontal diseases, such as periodontitis, deep cleaning or surgical treatment may be required. Some of the treatment options available include root scaling and planing, which removes the plaque and tartar buildup on your teeth and beneath the gum line. However, for more extreme cases, surgery may be required. Flap surgery and bone and gum grafting may be administered to moderate to severe cases of periodontal diseases such as advanced periodontitis. Laser therapy, a faster and painless way of treating periodontitis is also another treatment option. However, since there is no way to control the laser beam, laser treatments are also known to destroy healthy gum and bone tissues.
But still, prevention is worth a pound of cure. Same goes with taking care of your teeth and gums to preserve that beautiful smile for a long time. So why wait until you get the dreaded periodontal disease before you start caring for your gums? You can start with your oral hygiene practices. As you know, brushing, flossing and gargling with mouthwash are not only a cure to the first few stages of periodontal disease but also a preventive measure. Apart from that, what you eat also affects your dental health. It is recommended that you cut back on sweets as bacteria feed on the sugars from the food we eat.