September marks National Gum Care Month, a time to reflect on the importance of this often overlooked part of our body. In the dental world, gum health is never overlooked. In fact, as the foundations of your teeth and a protective barrier to your body, your gums are one of the most important parts of your body.
Gum disease or periodontal disease (as doctors call it) can show itself in various ways, through swollen or red gums that are tender to touch, or you may see blood when flossing or brushing. Another way to spot gum disease, or we should say smell gum disease is when it causes persistent bad breath.
Gum disease is far more common than you may think, with the American Dental Association showing that 42% of US adults aged 30 or over are dealing with this disease.
How to Improve Your Gum Health
As with most issues relating to your mouth, having good oral hygiene is key to your long term health. It’s imperative that you brush and floss well after every meal and also visit your Petworth dentist at least twice a year for a professional cleaning and exam. In this appointment we will also keep an eye on early signs of gum disease and if you have a mild case, it can be easily reversible.
If you leave your symptoms unseen, it can cause more severe issues such as tooth loss or even stroke in some rare cases. If you have severe periodontitis, Dr. Fitz will refer you to a gum specialist to review your needs.
Other ways to improve your gum health include eating a balanced diet, with low sugar to reduce plaque and tartar build up. If you smoke, this is a big risk factor for gum disease — our team can guide you to some helpful resources for quitting smoking if this is an issue for you. We are happy to help.
Bad breath and tooth loss can be embarrassing dental issues that we don’t want our patients to have to suffer with, so we want you to understand that your Petworth dentist is here to support you and find you a treatment plan that helps improve your symptoms and restores your smile. Don’t delay in making an appointment with our team today.