What is gum disease?
The most frequent cause of tooth loss in adults is a disease called periodontitis. It is, unfortunately, a common condition that involves shrinkage of the bone and gum around the teeth which leads to inflammation and tooth mobility. If periodontitis is left untreated, infection can manifest and cause gum abscesses which are often painful and lead to tooth extraction.
Visiting your dentist is the best way to check for and prevent the disease. In the early stages of gum disease it can be hard to spot symptoms as they usually only develop in the later stages. One of the main things you can look out for is bleeding gums, this is often the first sign that something is wrong and it is advisable to visit your dentist to get it checked out. If diagnosed early, periodontitis can be treated with non-surgical treatments and improved oral hygiene.
What causes gum disease?
Gum disease is caused by bacteria in plaque. If plaque (and bacteria) is left to build up it can lead to inflammation and destruction of the supporting tissues around the teeth. In most cases practising good oral hygiene can help to prevent gum disease but sometimes it’s not always that simple; as a dentist I see people all the time who openly admit to not looking after their teeth and yet they do not get periodontitis but some others who are obsessed with their oral hygiene suffer greatly from it.
The exact reasons why some people are more prone to getting periodontitis are not fully understood but it could be in part due to variation in response to the bacteria in plaque by different individuals.
The easiest way to explain this to my patients is to draw comparisons to heart disease, we have seen that people who live very healthy lifestyles (exercises regularly and are not overweight) may suffer from heart disease whereas an obese person who never exercises and eats a very unhealthy diet may not. In cases like these there is often a genetic pre-disposition in the patient which has caused them to develop heart disease and it is the same with gum disease.
So what can you do to prevent periodontitis?
By maintaining a good level of oral hygiene you can usually prevent the onset of gum disease. Mild cases of gum disease can also be treated with a rigorous oral hygiene routine including brushing and flossing and a little help from your dentist with professional cleaning.
Severe gum disease will need more intervention from your dentist and could result in surgery. It certainly pays to look after your teeth! The secret to management of periodontitis is early diagnosis. Make sure to visit your dentist for regular check-ups and they or a member of their dental team should provide all the advice you need to look after your teeth and gums.
Written by Dr Daniel Winston BDS MSc, principal dentist at Mossley Dental Care