Oral Care Advice

Prevention is the best alternative to expensive gum surgery treatments. They are costly and several are often needed to correct the problem. However, even when the surgery is over, you still need to prevent a recurrence. In addition, the surgery may not be able to return all of the gum tissue you have lost.

If you already suffer from gum disease, now is the time to start fighting it. If you are able to stop its progression, then you’ll want to focus on preventing a recurrence. You have the ability to do this.

Even when you think you have made progress against gum disease if the supporting tissue is lost there may come a day when a toothbrush or food particle irritate the gums to the point that the unsupported tissue recedes, exposing more of the tooth. Once bone and tissue loss occur to a certain degree it may be a struggle to save one’s teeth.

This is very sad and it doesn’t need to be this way. Prevention is worth a pound of cure as the saying goes. Estimates from the Mayo Clinic are that 80% of American adults have gum disease. The next questions becomes, “are brushing and flossing enough to prevent gum disease”? When contemplating that statistic, it doesn’t seem very likely.

Do all the possible research you can before you even start to encounter any gingivitis. It is so very important to understand what this insidious disease can and does do. Next, you need to be able to recognize it. Don’t make the mistake I made. I thought it was normal for my gums to bleed occasionally while brushing or flossing. Unfortunately, I had no idea that it wasn’t normal at all.

When tartar and plaque build up under the gumline, you are in trouble. So, don’t let it happen in the first place. Gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss. If you want to keep all of your teeth, learn about prevention early. But even if you already have gum disease, you should learn about every possible thing you can do to arrest its progress.

Gum disease and gingivitis are far more serious than you probably imagine. Gum recession, bone loss and possible tooth loss can occur. When gum disease gets going, your options could be limited. Expensive and multiple surgeries may be needed to save your gums and teeth.

Fortunately, after diligent trial and error I’ve found a combination of tools that seem to have allowed me to prevent the progression of gum disease. Even with the daily use of these tools, I’ll need to be diligent about prevention from here on out.

If you already have gum disease, find out what you can do to fight it. If you don’t have it yet, start working to prevent it now. Teach your children well so that they can preserve their gums and teeth for a lifetime of use. If you have or think you have gum disease, be sure to visit your dentist for diagnosis and treatment.

David Snape is the author of What You Should Know about Gum Disease – an important book considering that the majority of adults suffer from some form of gum disease. David also answers questions on any health, fitness or wellness topic at his blog: http://tobeinformed.com – David believes in oral irrigation to help fight against gum disease and that the premiere oral irrigation device on the market is the Hydro Floss Oral Irrigator.

Disclaimer: This article is for information and entertainment purposes only. It does not intend to render advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have or think you might have gum disease or any other health problem, visit your periodontist or physician for advice, diagnosis and treatment. The USFDA has not evaluated statements about products in this article.

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