Did you know that your dental health and overall health are closely related? It's true! Science has shown us a link between the bacteria that causes gum disease and that which causes other non-dental health concerns, such as:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Alzheimer's disease
- Complications during pregnancy
- Rheumatoid arthritis
We know that the bacteria causing the inflammation in gum disease can enter the bloodstream and travel to other areas of the body, contributing to these other health concerns and vice versa.
So, how can you protect yourself from gum disease? Read on to learn more!
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an infection that attacks the bone and soft tissues, the primary support team for teeth. When gums aren't healthy, teeth are at risk.
Gum disease starts slowly with a condition called gingivitis. It can be hard to detect gingivitis on your own as there's not much pain associated with it at first. However, some signs of gingivitis you may notice are:
- Red, swollen, and irritated gums
- Chronic bad breath you can't eliminate with brushing and flossing
- Bleeding gums when you brush and floss
When we spot gingivitis early on, you can often successfully manage the condition with a thorough professional teeth clean and some improvements to your home care.
Advanced gum disease is called periodontitis. This condition causes damage, and you may notice symptoms like tooth mobility, gum recession, and pain when you bite or chew food.
We treat periodontitis with a deep clean called scaling and root planing. This procedure goes below your gumline to remove the plaque and bacteria causing infection. Our dentists may also recommend antibiotic therapy to help alleviate the infection or gum surgery for severe cases of periodontitis.
Protect your health and book your next preventive teeth clean and exam with your Narre Warren dentist.