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Posts Tagged ‘Gum treatments’

How Can Gum Treatment Benefit My Overall Health?

Sunday, June 21st, 2015

Woman SmileIt may seem a little unlikely that caring for your gums will have a significant impact on your general health, but numerous research studies have established a strong link between oral and general health and it seems that looking after your teeth and gums will produce much greater benefits than a healthy, attractive looking smile. Spending just a few minutes each day caring for your mouth could have significant rewards for your general health.

Oral and general health

As dental professionals, we are always eager to hammer home the importance of a healthy mouth, but don’t just take our word for it – Scientists all over the world have produced incredible findings that suggest a connection between oral and general health. Research suggests that poor oral health, most notably gum disease, can increase the risk of a host of potentially very serious systemic illnesses including heart attacks and strokes. Research has also linked gum disease with a heightened risk of dementia, diabetes and complications during labour and pregnancy.

A study conducted in Scotland, which involved more than 11,000 adults, suggested that people who have poor oral hygiene are more likely to develop gum disease and in turn, suffer from cardiac events, while research cited by the American Academy of Periodontology claims people with periodontitis are up to twice as likely to develop coronary artery disease.

How to prevent gum disease

The good news for our patients is that gum disease is largely preventable and following these simple steps will stand you, your gums and the rest of your body in good stead:

  • brush your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time
  • floss daily
  • see your dentist every six months
  • watch out for warning signs such as swollen, sore and bleeding gums
  • avoid sugary foods, especially between meals
  • avoid smoking

 

Recognise and Combat Gum Disease in Central Leeds

Sunday, February 26th, 2012

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, can be a painful and sometimes embarrassing condition for many people. Caused by an accumulation of harmful bacteria, it can cause inflammation, recession and bleeding of the gums.

Recognising the symptoms of gum disease is relatively easy, the first sign to look for is a change of colour in the tissue. Healthy gums should be a shade of coral or pink, whilst diseased gums will become redder in colour and will appear slightly swollen. In addition, bleeding gums is a sure sign of periodontal disease. Your gums should not bleed when you brush your teeth, if they do, you most definitely will have some form of gum disease. Bad breath can be caused by gum disease as the bacteria that build up in the mouth give off a foul smell, similar to rotting eggs. Receding gums are a sure sign of gum disease, this is caused by a lack of oxygen and nutrients reaching the tissue, resulting in damaged and dead tissue. As a result of many of these symptoms, the teeth themselves will become extremely sensitive, loose and may eventually fall out.

There is however, hope for sufferers of periodontal disease in Central Leeds. Dentists are able to treat the problem from their own clinics and the process is relatively quick and simple. If the infection is purely superficial, the damaged tissue, and the bacteria that caused it, can be removed by mechanical scraping during a process called ‘root planning’. If the problem goes deeper than the surface, a therapy can be used that eradicates the diseased pockets, removing more of the gums through a surgical procedure.

Prevention is better than a cure in the case of periodontal disease. Brushing of the teeth and tongue can prevent the build up of bacteria around the gums and flossing can be equally as important in removing stubborn plaque. In addition, the tobacco found in cigarettes can actually cause or increase the severity of gum disease and the use of such substances should be stopped immediately to reduce the risk of developing the disease.