What To Know About Gum Disease

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It may surprise you to hear that gum disease is a very common problem among people in even the wealthiest areas. Even if you don’t think that you will ever get gum disease, it is important to understand such a common disease. This will help you know what to do to avoid it and to be able to recognize it if you do get it. If you have any concerns, ask your Simi Valley dentist, but a simple description of the disease is below.

What Is Gum Disease?

The disease comes in many forms; it can be anywhere from gum inflammation to the severe loss of both gums and teeth. When left alone, gum disease will slowly cause more and more damage to the gums, which can cause teeth to fall out in the worst cases. Gingivitis is when plaque and bacteria are left on the teeth for long enough to irritate the gums. They are usually swollen and red and will bleed often when the person is eating or brushing their teeth. Gingivitis can be easily cured. However, when it is left alone, it becomes periodontitis. When this happens, the gums become so infected that they pull away from the teeth and the area in between gets a deep infection. Eventually, the bone in the tooth itself will start to dissolve. This is very painful and can have a permanent effect. This can be treated as well, but will require more effort to get rid of completely.

How Can Gum Disease Be Prevented?

Because gum disease is mainly caused by plaque and bacteria in the mouth, it can be avoided by regular brushing and flossing. Do this at least twice a day very thoroughly; you can usually get away with flossing once a day, but try to keep up with it. Additional things such as mouthwash can get any excess bacteria that may have been left behind by the toothbrush. Avoid smoking and visit your Simi Valley dentist to get a teeth cleaning twice a year. This will help prevent the disease and a dentist can catch signs of the disease very early on.


This is a guest post provided to It's My Party for its readers.