Your gum health is the foundation for a radiant smile and good oral health. If you want a healthy, beautiful smile, focusing solely on your teeth without focusing on your gum health is futile. Neglecting your gums can have severe consequences on both your oral and overall well-being, paving the way for dental conditions such as tooth loss and medical conditions such as heart disease.
We recommend regular dental check-ups because gum health should not be overlooked! Our friendly and dedicated dental professionals in Hawthorn will assess your gums and diagnose gum disease if present. Our dentists will also provide you with valuable knowledge about the causes of gum disease, available treatments and what you can do to maintain good gum health.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease, also known as Periodontal disease, occurs when the tissues surrounding and supporting your teeth become inflamed and infected as a reaction to neglected plaque build-up on your teeth and along the gum line. There are 2 types of gum disease:
Gingivitis
Gingivitis refers to the early stages of gum disease and can be reversed. At this stage, only the surface layers of the gum, especially where the gum meets the tooth, are affected. When there’s irregular brushing and flossing, plaque can build up on your gums causing gingivitis to develop.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is an advanced stage of gum disease that can weaken the areas of your gums closest to the teeth, creating spaces between your teeth and gums that can trap germs. Your gums may also recede, exposing the tooth roots and making your teeth sensitive. Periodontitis can even damage the bone structure surrounding and supporting teeth, resulting in tooth loss.
What are the Symptoms of Gum Disease?
- Bleeding, redness and swelling of your gums
- Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
- Receding gums
- Sensitive teeth
- Tooth loss
- Discomfort while chewing
What Causes Gum Disease?
Gum disease is caused by plaque build-up on your teeth and along the gumline. Plaque is formed when bacteria in your mouth feed on sugars in the foods and drinks you consume. This bacteria can then irritate your gums and if left untreated to accumulate, can cause infection, bleeding, redness and swelling of the gum around the tooth.
While early stages of gum disease can be prevented with good oral care, hardened plaque, also known as calculus or tartar, can only be removed by a dentist. This is why it’s highly recommended to schedule regular dental checkups, so our dentist can keep your mouth free of hardened plaque and bacteria with a professional clean.
Other causes of gum disease include:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Certain medications
- Poor nutrition
- Pregnancy or puberty
- Dry mouth
Why is Gum Health Important?
As we’ve mentioned above, poor gum health can cause gum disease, resulting in severe consequences to your oral health and smile. However, gum disease is not a problem that affects only your oral health but your overall health too.
Inflammation caused by gum disease can increase your risk of developing medical conditions or aggravating existing health issues. Some health problems linked with gum disease include:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Respiratory infections and diseases
- Complications in pregnancy
- Weakened immune system
Since gum disease can damage the bone structure surrounding and supporting your teeth, it can even lead to tooth loss. Tooth loss can then affect the functionality of your mouth, making simple activities like chewing and swallowing difficult. Your nutrition will then suffer, affecting your overall health.
How to Improve Gum Health?
At With U Dental, we believe in taking a preventative approach to maintaining good gum health. Here are some tips for improving your gum health while keeping gum disease at bay.
- Brush your teeth and along your gum line twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove plaque.
- Floss your teeth at least once daily to remove plaque build-up from between your teeth, where your toothbrush can’t reach.
- Opt for toothpaste like fluoride to strengthen your enamel.
- Use an antimicrobial or fluoride mouthwash in your oral hygiene routine.
- If you wear dentures, make sure you clean your dentures every day because plaque can easily build up on dentures.
- Eat a balanced diet and reduce the consumption of sugar, tobacco and alcohol.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Visit your dentist for regular check-ups.
Sometimes, however, gum disease can sneak up on you regardless of good oral care. So, if you notice signs of gum disease, we recommend you visit our dental clinic ASAP!
Achieve Optimal Gum Health at With U Dental
When you visit our dental clinic in Hawthorn, our friendly and experienced dentists will help you conquer gum disease and get a beautiful smile once more. Our dentists will first examine your teeth and gums for any signs of gum disease. They may then recommend and perform professional teeth cleaning to remove hardened plaque or tartar that could not be removed by daily brushing and flossing.
At With U Dental, we guarantee a teeth cleaning experience like no other with our EMS Airflow technology. This cutting-edge technology allows our dentists to remove plaque, bacteria, and pesky stains from your teeth through a controlled stream of air, warm water and ultrafine powder. It’s pain-free, gentle and effective!
For more severe cases of gum disease, we also provide efficient gum treatments including scaling and root planing, which allows us to perform a deeper clean to get rid of bacteria trapped beneath the gum lines. If unavoidable, we may suggest surgery to ensure your mouth is completely free of infection and to ensure your overall well-being. The good news is that we utilise pain-free anaesthetic techniques to make sure you experience minimal discomfort during your treatments and feel completely at ease!