Preventing, Diagnosing, And Treating Gum Disease
Posted on: 15 January 2021
Did you know that approximately 50% of all American adults have gum disease? Gum disease is extremely prevalent, yet it is a disease you can prevent and treat. Many people that have this issue do not even know they have it, though. If you want to keep your mouth healthy, you will need to learn some things about gum disease. Here is an explanation of how to prevent, diagnose, and treat gum disease.
The Best Thing to Do Is to Prevent Gum Disease
If you can prevent gum disease, you can avoid the harmful effects it produces, and it is not difficult to prevent it. One way to do this is by caring for your teeth in the proper ways. Brushing, flossing, and using fluoride mouth rinse products help, especially if you do these things daily. Regular visits to a dentist for cleanings is also another vital step in preventing gum disease from forming. You can also prevent it by eating right and treating all dental problems quickly when they arise.
The Ways that Dentists Diagnose It
When people visit dentists for checkups, most dentists take steps to check for gum disease. One way to do this is by examining a person's mouth to look for signs of gum disease. Another way is by asking questions about a person's gums. If you tell your dentist that your gums bleed when you floss, it can indicate that you have this disease. Dentists also check by measuring a person's gumlines when they come for visits. By measuring your gum lines each year, your dentist can watch the progression of the recession of your gums.
The Treatment Options for Gum Disease
Gum disease forms in stages and the first stage is gingivitis. If you do not treat this stage, the disease will worsen. Treating gum disease during the initial stage is less challenging because the effects are less severe. To treat the initial stage of gum disease, a dentist might recommend getting your teeth cleaned more often. The dentist might also suggest using a medicated mouth rinse. If the disease has progressed, your dentist might respond to it by completing a process called scaling and root planing. This process cleans the gum lines by pulling the gums back. There are other treatment options, too.
If you have gum disease, you might want to talk to your dentist about treating it. If you have any further questions, contact your local dentist.
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