Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, doesn't get as much attention as it should. However, this gum disorder can wreak havoc with your gums and your health in general. Read on and find out what you can do to make sure that you don't get affected by gum disease.

What Causes Gum Disease?

The main culprit is bacteria. While it's natural for bacteria to exist in your mouth, it's how long it lingers and the amount present that can cause problems. Bacteria is not alone in producing the perfect conditions for gum disease, however. When bacteria are allowed to coexist with sugars in your mouth, that union creates plaque. This substance is very difficult to remove with just brushing, so plaque often morphs into tartar.

Tartar can form both on the teeth and below your teeth in the gums. Your gums may bleed, appear and feel swollen, and more. In serious cases of gum disease, pockets of infection can form in your gums. This type of infection can move into your bloodstream and cause a medical emergency in some people. It can also cause the loss of a tooth in many cases.

What You Can Do

Gum disease is 100% preventable, and you don't have to take inconvenient measures to deal with it. Follow these tips to help keep gun disease out of your mouth.

  1. The main issue with bacteria and sugars is that they may be allowed to linger for too long in the mouth. That is why cleaning your teeth right after a meal is so important. Even if you have done so after each meal, you might also need to brush once again right before bedtime if you have had issues with decay or gum disease. If you snack throughout the day, a quick brush will do a world of good to rid your mouth of bacteria. The sooner the sugars and bacteria are removed, the less chance they have to become other bad things that can cause gum disease.
  2. When you brush, do so for at least two minutes. Setting a timer until you get used to brushing for two minutes is advisable.
  3. As for flossing, use floss to go between each and every tooth. If you cannot get the floss between certain teeth, let your dentist know about it. Many people use floss picks for on-the-go use. However, using that type of floss can cause you to distribute bacteria throughout your mouth if you use too few picks.
  4. Using an antibacterial mouth rinse is also advisable to remove more bacteria.

Speak to your dentist to find out more about preventing gum diseases.

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