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Posts Tagged ‘gum treatment’

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

 

The Risk of Gum Disease in Sufferers of Diabetes in the City of Leeds

Friday, February 10th, 2012

Sufferers of diabetes have been found to be at a high risk of developing gum disease in the City of Leeds. Gum disease has in fact been named as the sixth most common complication of diabetes and is most common in those sufferers who have little or no control over their blood-sugar levels.

Gum disease is caused by a build up of bacteria around the teeth and around the gum tissue, it can be caused by poor dental hygiene, smoking or diabetes. Symptoms of gum disease include receding gums, bleeding gums and tooth loss.

Diabetes is a disease that suppresses the body’s natural defences against infection. It is this depression of the immune system that is responsible for the higher risk of gum disease in patients suffering from diabetes. When an individual has problems controlling their blood-sugar content, the blood vessels can alter in shape, leading to a decrease in oxygen travelling to the bones and tissue of the jaw and mouth. This reduction in oxygen and nutrients causes damage and weakening to the gums, leaving them more prone to infection by harmful bacteria. In addition, individuals who are unable to properly manage their diabetes may have a higher concentration of glucose in their oral cavity, leading to an increase in the growth and reproduction rate of the bacteria surrounding the gums.

In order to help prevent gum disease, sufferers of diabetes should try to manage their blood-sugar levels effectively in order to reduce the amount of glucose left in the mouth after eating. Furthermore, they should ensure they brush and floss extremely regularly in order to remove any build up of harmful bacteria and prevent the formation of plaque residues between the teeth.

 

 

Gum Treatment Is Necessary to Protect Your Heart, Says City Of Leeds Dentist

Saturday, September 11th, 2010

Did you know that there was a connection between healthy gums and freedom from heart disease and strokes? Gums can get diseased when there is a buildup of plaque on them. In addition to the discomfort such as bleeding, pain and bad breath caused by this buildup, there is also an immense risk to your heart. This plaque can break away from the gums and make their way to your bloodstream where they coat the walls of your arteries. If this is allowed to continue, the results are obvious and dangerous.
The accumulation of plaque on the walls of the arteries results in their getting blocked very badly over time. This increases your chances of getting a heart attack or a stroke.
A City of Leeds dentist therefore urges all his patients to get their teeth and gums cleaned regularly. A good session of scaling and polishing will be able to remove all the plaque that even regular brushing and flossing cannot remove. This is a painless procedure using a jet of water and one can get one’s teeth cleaned within less than an hour.
It is essential that you make regular dental checkups and cleanings a part of your health plan. Like all diseases, even gum diseases benefit from being treated at the very earliest. Being forgetful or neglectful of the little known but simple fact that plaque can result in heart disease can cause serious health problems for you. You should therefore always remember to get your teeth and gums cleaned.