Gum disease, in its advanced stages, is the number one cause of tooth loss among adults, and although typically preventable, many factors put us at greater risk for the condition. To learn about everything we can do in spite of these we can reach out to our Pasadena, CA, periodontist Dr. Peter Cooper of Pasadena Dental Implants.
If we are not brushing and flossing our teeth daily and missing our regular in-office dental cleanings we are putting ourselves at risk for developing gum disease. Good dental habits are primarily aimed at reducing the buildup of plaque on our teeth, and the damaging bacteria that live among them. Bacteria live inside our mouth, but it's when plaque accumulates that bacteria begin to grow rapidly. This is when cavities can occur, along with damage to our gum tissue.
Age and genetics are two factors out of our control, so if we have a history in our family of gum disease, or we are older, then we must be even more diligent with our dental hygiene habits.
Higher hormone levels in women can cause blood to rush to the gums, making them more sensitive to inflammation. So special care should be taken around these times, especially during pregnancy when the same advice of extra diligence with our dental care also applies.
Grinding our teeth at night can damage more than just our teeth, the trauma can also cause our gums to recede making gum disease more likely, or exacerbating it if it's already present. A custom-made nightguard from our dentist can help with the effects of teeth grinding.
Medications that can cause dry mouth can also make us more susceptible to gum disease. Saliva helps wash away plaque and bacteria from our teeth, so these medications can cause us to lose this extra level of defense.
With diabetes, the extra glucose in our saliva can feed the bacteria and help it propagate just as a diet rich in sugar and carbs will often do. Diabetes also affects the flow of blood to our gum tissue making it more difficult for it to heal from the infection.
Smoking causes a similar problem as it affects our body's ability to fight off infections, and it has the further downside of masking many of the common symptoms of gum disease.
Being exposed to any of the above-mentioned risk factors is no reason to simply accept that we'll develop gum disease. Instead, it should be a sign that we should be more aggressive in our fight against it, with regular brushing and flossing and of course regular visits to our dentist.
So whether you wish to prevent or treat gum disease you can schedule an appointment with Dr. Cooper of Pasadena Dental Implants in Pasadena, CA, by dialing (626) 796-1241.