The importance of gums and preventing gum disease

Gum Disease Treatment in Sunshine Coast

Do your gums bleed easily when you brush your teeth? Are they tender or inflamed? That’s gingivitis — bacteria in the plaque build-up. At first it just means that your gums are irritated, but it can lead to periodontitis, where pockets are formed around the teeth and become infected. That is serious because in turn it leads to the bone and tissue that hold your teeth in place breaking down, so the teeth become loose.

Gum disease is the leading cause of adults losing their teeth

All sorts of things besides plaque can affect your gums — such as cancer, HIV and diabetes as well as several medications and hormonal changes. And of course smoking is terrible for your gums. So are not brushing and flossing your teeth every day. And periodontal disease has now been found to lead to respiratory infections and cardiovascular disease.

Since gum disease tends to be painless, most people have no idea that anything is wrong if they don’t go to the dentist regularly

Regular dental examinations — check-ups and cleaning — really are crucial to your overall health. They are far more important than aesthetic or cosmetic dentistry and teeth whitening, even if they are less immediately visible. But Eumundi Dental can look after the whole range of tooth — from bridges to crowns — and gum problems for you.

Sit back and relax. Take deep breaths

We’ll clean your teeth regularly and try to persuade you to floss every day and brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, and to use a therapeutic mouthwash too. And of course we’ll do our best in the nicest, most polite way to talk you out of cigarette smoking.

Gum disease is preventable

Battery powered and electric toothbrushes will help, and so will a water jet. Salt water is a good disinfectant for rinsing out your mouth with, or use a lemongrass or aloe vera mouthwash, or even tea tree oil or sage if you want to put off using a commercial preparation. Cloves are said to reduce plaque and inflammation as well as pain — they are a famous old wives’ home remedy. The latest studies suggest turmeric is good too. And a healthy diet without excessive sugar is important too. Make an appointment with Dr Sarah Rose at Eumundi Dental though, if you can’t remember when you last had a check-up or your teeth cleaned. It’s time.