Ignoring early signs of gum disease could result in losing teeth
It has long been instilled in us by our parents that it is important that we brush our teeth. This is good basic advice and although taking good care of our teeth is a little more sophisticated than that, it is a great start.
It is only more recently though that good gum health has been widely recognised as equally important and it is a message that we hope parents will take on board when supervising their children whilst they clean their teeth.
The fact is that whilst brushing our teeth is important to stop tooth decay and the often painful toothache that sometimes goes with it, gum disease is equally serious. We will look at some possible symptoms shortly but it is worth noting that symptoms can be minor or barely noticeable at all in some cases, which is why it is important that you see our Canterbury dental hygienist to make sure that your gums stay in good health.
What causes gum disease?
Gum disease is largely caused by potentially harmful bacteria in our mouth getting out of control. In a healthy mouth, we flush much of this away with saliva, but sometimes our mouths are dry; often in older people and those who smoke or drink alcohol. This creates a problem in that it allows the number of bacteria to grow rapidly. These then attack the soft tissue of the gums and we may notice some of the symptoms starting to appear.
As the problem advances, some of the bacteria combine with minerals in our saliva which then form a hard ‘crust’ on the teeth and around the gum line. This is known as tartar or calculus and forms a rough surface which then attracts yet more bacteria. Before too long, the problem starts to get out of control.
At the Bradley and Partners Dental and Implant Clinic, we believe in whole mouth health. This means that not only do we help you to keep your teeth healthy, but also the soft tissues of the mouth too. Whilst the focus is often on gum health, with gum disease being a serious problem that can result in lost teeth, there is a very real threat to all of the soft tissues in the mouth and that is oral, or mouth, cancer.
There are a number of things that can cause harm to our teeth and gums. Some of these, such as eating too much sugar, can be controlled with a little bit of willpower. Others, like bruxism, are not so easily controlled yet can cause a large amount of damage in just a short period of time depending on the severity.
There are essentially four options available for anyone who loses a tooth, or a number of teeth. These are leaving the gap as it is, having dentures, having a bridge fitted or having a dental implant placed. We don’t recommend the first option as leaving a gap in the teeth, however unnoticeable it is, is not a good idea and can lead to issues such as misaligned teeth over a period of time.
A smile can really lift our day and a great looking smile even more so. It is said that the first thing that most of us notice about other people is their smile, and we tend to be drawn towards those that do, rather than people who smile less. There can be many different reasons, of course, why some people smile more than others. Our health, money and relationship worries can make smiling more or less likely for periods of our life.
When we write our blogs, we know that some of them might only appeal to a relatively small number of you at any given time. For example, only a small percentage of you may be looking at ways to replace a missing tooth at that particular time. One topic that we do know will be of interest to a large number of you though, is dental anxiety.
Are you one of those people who looks in the mirror at your teeth and feels frustrated because they look good apart from them being uneven? If so, you are far from alone.
Although we may not be entirely out of the woods yet, there is little doubt that there is more optimism in the air than at this time last year. Some of you will, no doubt, have had your first post lockdown pint or taken part in some other activity.