Dental hygiene is important for overall health. Doctors have been saying this for years, because the mouth is the gateway to the body. One of the diseases that can strike as the result of poor dental hygiene is gum disease. This is a very irritating disease to have in your mouth, and can be hard to treat once contracted. So what is it that causes gum disease? There are actually several different factors, but there are also many treatments and ways to prevent gum disease.
Gum disease is a condition that causes inflamed gums, rotting them slowly away, and, if left untreated, then it can destroy the whole structure of the mouth and jaw. Gingivitis is actually a gum infection. Early stages will appear as swollen, red, sensitive teeth and gums, and it can progress rapidly from there. Once gum disease is contracted, it can become a chronic problem for some people. In later stages of gum disease, a puss-like discharge can appear on the gums.
The causes of gum disease can vary. The number one cause is poor dental hygiene. What happens in this case is that plaque builds up from infrequent brushing, and in time, turns into tartar. The tartar is an irritant to the gums, which then causes the swelling and irritation. Smokers are at least twice as likely to get some kind of gum disease. Teenagers, pregnant women and women in menopause are at a higher risk as well. There are many other conditions that can contribute to gum disease, such as high exposure to metals, radiation, poorly fitted fillings, and others.
There are many different treatment methods for gum disease as well. Depending on what first causes gum disease, treatments will be different. There are certain vitamins that can be taken to treat gum disease, such as zinc, copper, vitamin E, vitamin A and folic acid, which are all important for a healthy mouth and gum line. One alternative treatment for gingivitis is to drink warm water with lemon every day. In Chinese medicine, a liver cleanse is done to help the health of the mouth, because they believe that the health of the liver affects the health of the mouth. There are also many herbal treatment methods, such as brushing the teeth with baking soda, placing aloe vera on the gums, and other such treatments. Dentists will advise rinsing the mouth with salt water, as well as offering different anesthetic ointments to ease the soreness of the gums. In the worst case scenario, gum surgery is performed to tighten the gums back into place.
Gum disease is something that is avoided by most people. If you are trying to prevent gum disease, then the best thing to do is to maintain healthy teeth and gums by brushing and flossing regularly. Smokers need to be extra careful to keep their mouths clean, because of the higher risk. What causes gum disease varies, but so do the treatments and preventative measures. If you are taking proper care of your teeth and gums, then you should be safe from getting the disease.
