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Aside from telling my patients that they have to take care of their teeth, I never fail to stress the importance of taking care of their gums as well. If you do not take care of your gums then there will be no place for your teeth. The gums are the foundation for your teeth and if you don’t take care of them then don’t expect to have healthy teeth too.
I’ve seen a lot of patients here in London who always brush their teeth but still complain that their gums hurt. How can this happen? The most important thing that you have to understand is that there are spaces between your teeth and your gums. We’re not talking about the evident little spaces between your teeth. We’re talking about the spaces that are snuggled between your teeth and your gums. This is the kind of space that you can’t see with your bare eyes.
Gum disease is caused mainly by bacteria and germs. The build up of bacteria and germs is caused by accumulated plaque. Plaque is a mixture of food and different kinds of bacteria that accumulate in the mouth. There are a lot of people who brush their teeth but fail to clean these spaces between the teeth and gums. When this plaque accumulates, you will end up getting some sort of gum disease.
Gingivitis is the most common type of gum disease. This is characterized by swelling gums, bleeding gums after brushing, and smelly breath. If you do not treat gingivitis then the gum disease may get worse and become periodontitis. This is when your teeth start falling out of your mouth. It’s scary to go through this so don’t tempt fate!
Brushing your teeth everyday is great for your teeth but there are some areas in your mouth that need expert cleaning. Visit your dentist once or twice a year so that you can have these tricky places cleaned. Preventing gum disease is the best way to have a healthy mouth and a radiant smile. Don’t wait for gum disease to happen and don’t let it get worse if you have it already.