Common Signs of Gum Disease and How to Avoid It

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Many people have pains or do not feel so well in general…but, when your gums are sore or bleeding, that’s when you really tend to feel the pain! Gum disease is not only linked to oral health, but sometimes linked to overall health conditions that many of us do not even think about.

Signs of Gum Disease

According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) (NIDCR), gum disease is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. Typically, caused by poor brushing and flossing habits, which allows plaque to build up on the teeth and harden. Signs of gum disease are soreness of the mouth and gums, bleeding of the gums, painful chewing, dry mouth, and bad breath. Risk factors are bacteria or plaque buildup on the teeth and below the gum line, medications, oral habits, genes, smoking, tobacco use, misaligned teeth, crowns, braces, bridgework, grinding, gritting, clenching, stress, hormones and poor nutrition. Other diseases can play a role in gum disease and other diseases may be linked to gum disease such as oral cancer.

How to Avoid Gum Disease

It is easy to put off a dental visit being that most of us do not want to go to the dentist, and do not like those drills. However, this is not a good idea. If a person has decent dental health, he or she will typically only need to see their dentist 2 times a year or every 6 months for their cleanings and checkups. If a person is having any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is a good idea to visit their dentist as soon as possible. Gum disease cannot be avoided, but can be treated. With good oral health, brushing and flossing regularly as well as regular visits to the dentist you can keep your teeth and it is even possible to catch a potential disease in its early stages and get it treated before it becomes serious.

Further Help with Signs of Gum Disease

We often overlook dental visits and might even forget to brush. However, doing this may cost you your teeth. There may be some of you who have figured out how to eat many things without teeth (i.e. soups, gelatins, cream and dairy), but eating natural fruits like apples and meat can be challenging without healthy teeth. Some of the things we enjoy eating the most cannot be done without our teeth. Being sure that you do make those dental appointments can make the difference in how long you are able to keep your teeth. Oral health is as important as the rest of your health and they are directly linked to one another.

There are tests that can be run by your dentist to discover cancers, vitamin deficiencies, bone issues and more. Although many people don’t like going to the doctor and dentist, there are benefits to taking good care of yourself, and finding possible health issues early on.