The Importance of Keeping Healthy Gums

Whilst the importance of brushing our teeth regularly and flossing is evangelized everywhere we turn, it is important to remember that it is not only our teeth that we need to worry about but our gums as well. Many people are surprisingly uneasy about how can they determine whether they have healthy gums or not, as they are not entirely sure about the best and most effective method for going about achieving this. The answer is extremely straightforward indeed: if your gums are red, swollen, painful to touch, and raw looking then it is a safe bet they are far from healthy. Healthy gums on the other are pink and perky. If you have bleeding gums, then you need to take remedial action.

If you want to ensure that you obtain healthy gums, and perhaps more importantly, actually keep them for the foreseeable future, it is imperative that you actually take the time to eat a healthy, well balanced, and nutritious diet as well as ensuring that you refrain from carbonated soft drinks which are laden with phosphorous as well as caffeine and sugar. Heavy drinkers, as well as people who take certain types of illicit narcotics (in particular, heroin), are also at a significantly increased risk of developing gum disease.

A common misconception about gum disease is that it is only a condition that will only ever afflict those with chronically poor dental hygiene practices but in actual fact, gum disease can affect people in spite of their consistent teeth brushing and flossing regime. This misconception is a result of people taking various counter medications to combat the gum disease so that it can be maintained but the fact is that the cause is in most cases either genetic or lifestyle. Remember, when it comes to gum disease, it is really the prevention that is most effective.

Some people will be surprised to discover that when they have poor oral hygiene habits, they can be ill-Responsible for acquiring gum disease. For example, if you do not brush your teeth regularly, you will probably develop gum disease at some stage which will require a procedure known as scaling and root planing where the root of the tooth is basically cut down in order to clean it sufficiently so that bacteria can be removed safely.

Diligent and regular brushing and flossing are the basic measures that have been shown to help promote a healthy mouth. It is also important to make regular visits to the dentist so that dental problems can be detected and treated early or if they have already started, prevented further damage.

Besides the above measures, there is also another thing that you should do as a supplementary oral hygiene regimen if you don’t want your gums to get affected by gum disease – take in calcium and phosphorus. It is primarily calcium that helps keep bones strong and healthy while phosphorus keeps the gums healthy. consume food rich in calcium and phosphorus (milk, yogurt, and cheese) between meals. This will aid in the prevention of periodontal disease and the strong gums that have been mentioned earlier.

As it has been referred to already, the prevention of periodontal disease is as important as the treatment in curing it once it has been already started. Good oral hygiene is effective in preventing this disease but most of all, it is effective in stopping the rapid progression of the disease once it has been already been detected. During the course of this disease, there is a formation of bacteria that is referred to as plaque that is the reason why this disease is able to progress. If left untreated or unsightly for the most part, then it is possible for the bacteria to spread, and progressively more destroying tissue will be involved.

Besides that, gum diseases can also spread into the adjacent tissues and give rise to periodontitis, which is a much severe gum disease that spreads into the tissues and can cause bone loss and even tooth loss. Despite the fact that you keep your gums clean and your teeth and gums clean, good oral hygiene does not guarantee you the ability to resist periodontal disease.

Even if you keep your mouth clean, rest assured that as the disease progresses, it becomes a lot more difficult for you to keep your teeth for a very long time. Even if you use the most effective of medications, it is still possible for the disease to get a lot worse and develop into periodontitis that is indicative of systemic disease. And very often, this is when the disease doesn’t show any signs in the tooth itself, it starts attacking the bone and soft tissue, which makes it a lot harder for you to keep your teeth for a very long time.

Careful study of the prevention and the diagnosis of the disease both at the cellular level and the highest level of the whole body indicate that systemic diseases may have an effect on the health of the heart, cardiovascular system, kidneys, nervous system, and endocrine system.