Prevent Tooth Loss: Protect Your Gums

According to a poll done by Harris Interactive, Inc., 60 percent of those surveyed who are adults 35 and above, had very little knowledge about gum disease which is, in fact, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. A lot of people may have some symptoms of this disease, yet not know it.

What is gum disease anyway? How can one prevent it? Gums provide support for the teeth and keep them in place. When gums become infected, the tissue and bones supporting the tooth are destroyed. This results in tooth loss.

Millions of bacteria live in a person's mouth. There are some that are harmless. Harmful bacteria are those found in dental plaques, colorless film that builds up on the tooth's surface. These dental plaques are the main cause of gum disease.

Plaque forms in the teeth all the time and can easily build up and accumulate to excessive amounts. Within 24 hours, at the least, this plaque build up can harden into tartar which can be difficult to remove just by brushing. This irritates the gums and causes them to bleed.

Gum disease happens in two stages: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis normally comes first and progresses to periodontitis when left untreated. Gingivitis is characterized by swelling of gums and bleeding, normally when brushing the teeth. At this stage, the gums are irritated but no tissue or bone damage has occurred yet.

When gingivitis is just ignored and proper dental care is still not done, it may lead to the more serious periodontitis. At this stage, small spaces are formed between the teeth and gums due to the recession of the gum's inner layer and bone from the teeth.

Minute food traces and debris can accumulate in these small spaces and infect the gums. As the disease advances, these spaces deepen and cause more bones and gum tissue to be destroyed. Without anything supporting or anchoring the teeth, it then leads to tooth loss.

The good news is that these things can be prevented from happening through proper dental care. Brushing and flossing should definitely be a part of one's daily routine on proper hygiene. This prevents excessive plaque buildup that irritates the gums. Should gingivitis be realized, the more that regular oral cleansing is necessary to prevent it from proceeding to becoming periodontitis.

When the dentist determines bone loss and if gums had pulled away from the tooth, certain treatments are advised such as scaling and root planning (SRP) and taking Periostat, an oral medicine that fights gum disease. Dental surgery procedures may also be done if necessary.

As long as proper dental hygiene is maintained and regular oral cleansing is done, this ailment can surely be prevented. Teeth are precious and make people have a perfect smile. Thus, proper care should be done to keep them intact.

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