Time for a Gum Health Checkup

It can be easy to overlook the health of your gums. Everyone focuses on the surfaces of their teeth, because they want to have a sparkling smile. However, your gums are just as important to your oral health as the state of your teeth. It’s a good idea to take a gum health checkup from time to time. Caring for your gums isn’t difficult, it just takes a conscious effort. In this week’s blog, we want to give you some telltale signs that something may be wrong, explain gum disease treatment, and provide preventive solutions to keep your gums protected in the future.

Look for Redness, Swelling, and Pain in Your Gums

The signs that you may be experiencing infection in your gums are similar to any other infection signs within your body. Inflammation is characterized by redness, swelling, and pain. If you notice these qualities in a certain area of your gums, this may be a sign that you’ve developed gingivitis. Infection can be more difficult to spot in your gums, since they are already pink in appearance. If you can feel the swelling, or any sort of pain in your gums, you should definitely take notice. Prolonged inflammation can mean gum disease, which requires treatment right away.

Treatment for Gum Disease Is Known as Scaling and Root Planing

If you develop gum disease, you should treat the condition right away. Gum disease is reversible early on, but periodontitis (advanced gum disease) is irreversible. Periodontitis leads to a loss of jaw bone mass. That has serious ramifications for the health of your teeth. After experiencing jaw bone loss, your teeth may become loose and eventually fall out. It’s so important that you notice signs of gum disease and schedule a dentist appointment right away.

You Can Prevent Gum Disease by Caring for Your Gums and Teeth

The good news about preventive care for your gums is that it doesn’t require a ton of extra work. The most important thing you can do to care for your gums is to brush around the gum line while brushing your teeth. Cleaning the surfaces of your teeth is important, but so is removing bacteria from around the gum line. Bacteria can aggregate at the gum line and beneath the gum line. In the same way that this bacteria would cause a cavity on your teeth, it can also cause gum disease beneath the gum line. Focus your brush strokes moving away from your gum line and be sure to floss daily.

Schedule Biannual Dentist Appointments at Elm Creek Dental

In addition to caring for your teeth and gums at home, you should also make regular appointments with your dentist. Visiting your dentist twice a year allows him or her to check for the signs of gum disease and administer treatment. Schedule your next checkup at Elm Creek Dental in Maple Grove, MN by calling 763-416-0606.