Tag: periodontal treatment

why gums recede dfw tx

Why Your Gums Are Receding

Posted on | by mel | 3 Comments on Why Your Gums Are Receding

The real reasons that you may not even think of

why gums recede dfw tx

When you have receding gums, it is often an indication that there is a problem. It reveals that your gums are not as healthy as they should be, and your oral health is declining. Healthy gums are necessary to help protect your teeth.

 

Symptoms of Receding Gums

Looking over your gums, there are some easy-to-spot symptoms that will help you know whether or not they are healthy. Some symptoms that reveal that your gums are in the early stages of gum disease include:

  • Bleeding gums 
  • Bright Red Gums
  • Bad Breath
  • Swollen gums
  • Increased sensitivity

 

Why You Should Stop Gum Decay

A receding gum line is often just the early steps to periodontitis. Unless it is treated and action is taken to stop it, it will gradually become worse. With the right conditions, it can quickly become serious. 

Gum decay is caused by bacteria in the mouth that is out of control. Normally, the good bacteria, a healthy diet, and saliva keep it under control. As the bad bacterium multiplies, it produces an acid that starts to work on the gums and teeth. Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly can remove the plaque (the bad bacteria) that forms on your teeth.

Without the proper dental care, pockets will begin to form on your gums before long. This provides the perfect hiding place for the bacteria to grow colonies – and produce more acid. This is called periodontitis. As the pockets become larger, it starts to break down the structures that hold your teeth in place, and the bone, and your teeth start to become loose and will eventually fall out. 

As your gums recede, it exposes the roots of your teeth. Prior to receding, the gums offered some protection for the roots, but as they recede, cavities can form on them and they become more sensitive. 

 

Inflammation and Other Disease

Researchers now know that the inflammation caused by gum disease is behind many potentially serious health problems. It can lead to heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, a stroke, and many more.

 

Causes of Receding Gums

Before you can start to treat gum disease, you need to know what may be the cause of it. Some causes include:

  • Poor care of your teeth – A lack of regularly brushing your teeth and flossing will lead to gum disease. 
  • Grinding your teeth – If you grind your teeth (bruxism), you have an increased chance of developing gum disease. 
  • Brushing too hard – Brushing vigorously can wear away your gums, leading to gum recession. Using a toothbrush that has hard bristles can do the same thing. 
  • A gum injury – Trauma to your teeth can also help promote gum disease. 
  • Hormonal changes – Changes in the level of female hormones can help gums to be more likely to develop a disease of the gums. 
  • Illnesses – Various diseases can lead to the faster growth of the bacteria that causes gum disease. This includes diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS, and leukemia.
  • Genetics – It is possible that your genes may actually make you inclined to gum disease. WebMd says that as much as 30 percent of the population may be in this category, and how well you take care of your teeth may not prevent it.
  • Misaligned teeth – When your teeth are not aligned properly, it makes cleaning them more difficult. This often results in leaving food particles between your teeth – allowing bacteria to multiply and cause decay. 
  • Poor nutrition – Vitamins and minerals are necessary for the strengthening of your teeth and gums. Eating or drinking a lot of sugary foods provides food for the bacteria that causes gum disease. 
  • Obesity – Being overweight makes it harder to control gum disease.
  • Medications – Some medications will cause dry mouth, which encourages bacterial growth.
  • Drug abuse – Drug abuse generally promotes gum disease because the acids in them are strong, and those on drugs rarely take care of their teeth. 

 

Types of Gum Treatment

If you have a mild case of gingivitis, you can probably get rid of it by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing. You will need to do it regularly to succeed.

If you already have pockets forming along the gum line, you will likely need to see a dentist for treatment. Periodontal treatment will be needed to stop it and repair the damage. Remedies include:

  • Non-surgical: medications, scaling and root planing.
  • Surgical: flap reduction surgery, gum grafting, soft tissue grafts, and bone grafting.

 

Preventing Receding Gums

The best way to prevent your gums from receding is to carry out a regular program of brushing for about two minutes at a time – twice a day, and flossing. This will usually eliminate the early stages of gum infection. 

If you are staying in and around Farmers branch , do call our clinic Champion Dental at 214-747-0763 for more information on gum disease treatment, and treatment for receding gums

How Gum Disease Can Affect Your Lungs

Posted on | by mel | 1 Comment on How Gum Disease Can Affect Your Lungs

The Surprising Connection Between Your Mouth and Respiratory Diseases

It may be difficult to realize that there is a connection between something like gum disease and what happens in your lungs. Gum disease is made up of very small bacteria but it can have a powerful and negative influence on your lungs and your body as a whole. 

About Gum Disease

Gum disease is caused by certain bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis) normally found in your mouth that gets out of control when an imbalance of some kind occurs. In a healthy mouth, the more than 500 other kinds of bacteria will usually keep it under control. Things like a lack of proper oral care, consuming a lot of sugary products, and smoking can produce the imbalance and promote gum disease. 

The bacteria irritate the gums because it produces acid whenever you consume sugar or carbs. After a while, you will see inflammation on your gums and they may bleed when you brush or floss them. This is the first stage of gum disease called gingivitis. By brushing twice a day and flossing, you can usually eliminate it at this stage. 

 

How Gum Disease Progresses

If you do not eliminate it soon, it will progress to become periodontitis. Once it has reached this stage, you cannot remove it. You will need to contact a dentist for help and it will continue to get worse. 

After it gets into your gums – through the tartar on your teeth, it also has gained access to your bloodstream. Everywhere the bacteria travels, it will trigger an immune response. Along with your platelets, it becomes stuck to the walls of your blood vessels and in your organs. This narrows the vessels, restricting the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your lungs.

 

Gum disease

 

How Bacteria Gets Into the Lungs

The harmful bacteria are in your mouth all the time. It is always continuing to multiply, and as it does, it forms plaque on your teeth. Saliva will normally help to wash it off your teeth and gums. As the bacteria become out of balance and there are more of them, they can be inhaled on drops of saliva.

In a healthy person, your lungs can usually defend themselves against invaders from this type of bacteria. In people who are not healthy, or who have a weak immune system, it can cause serious problems. It can make existing problems, such as asthma and COPD worse. It can also cause pneumonia, which could be fatal in someone with a weak immune system.  

One recent study involved 200 participants that were between 20 and 60 and had at least 20 natural teeth. Half of them were in a hospital because of respiratory illnesses that included COPD, pneumonia, and bronchitis. The rest of the participants were healthy and did not have any background history of respiratory illness. The study found that the hospitalized group all had worse periodontal disease than the healthy group. 

 

Pneumonia

One study conducted at the Yale University School of Medicine discovered that changes in the oral bacteria occurred before pneumonia developed. This connection indicates that there is a possibility that brushing your teeth and flossing more often may be able to reduce the likelihood of getting pneumonia. Knowing this can be very valuable to help protect the health of seniors and young children. It also helps to know that you may be able to ensure their health in a rather simple way. 

 

COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that currently has no cure. It is presently the third most prevalent cause of death in the United States. It is likely that gum disease is also behind the formation of this disease. When you have this disease, an increase of the harmful bacteria in gum disease can cause flare-ups. If you have periodontal disease and you are in contact with other lung irritants, such as from smoking or smog, it can increase your risk of COPD. 

 

Why Dentures May Be a Problem

If dentures are not cleaned regularly, the harmful bacteria can also build upon them, and then it can be breathed into your lungs. Dentures should be cleaned daily to reduce the bacteria and to keep your breath fresh. 

 

Seniors at Greatest Risk

Seniors living in a nursing home or other close facility such as long-term care institutions are at a greater risk of developing lung problems. This is especially true if oral health is not maintained. Health issues such as pneumonia are also contagious, making this environment a potential health risk. 

senior citizen gum disease

To get more information about gum disease or periodontal treatment, you can contact Champion Dental clinic office at (214) 747 0763 and book a free consultation.