Barriers of protection
Here at Crofts Dental Practice, we often feel that our gums aren’t given enough credit. Whilst a set of pearly white teeth may be impressive, and a desirable trait for many, the truth is that without a healthy set of healthy gums in Essex, a smile is only good at face value. Our gums are vital for strong, healthy and long-lasting teeth, and act as a protective barrier and seal around your teeth to keep out food and plaque build-ups. Natural, healthy gum tissue is a coral shade of pink – or naturally darker depending on your skin pigment. However, if plaque builds up around your gums due to poor oral hygiene, it may lead to gums becoming red or inflamed and blood appearing during brushing or flossing.
Identifying onset gingivitis
Here at Crofts Dental Practice, we believe in doing all we can to ensure our patients maintain healthy gums in Essex, and believe that a critical aspect of doing so is in educating them on addressing the onset issues of gum disease and other indicators that they must boost or alter their dental hygiene routines. If you notice blood when brushing your teeth or flossing, it is typically the first indicator of something known as gingivitis. Another early indicator of gingivitis is constant bad breath. Gingivitis is caused by a build-up of plaque or tartar around the patient’s gums which causes them to become red, puffy or inflamed. If it is recognised early by one of our trained, professional dental hygienists here at Crofts Dental, then the appropriate measures can be taken to restore healthy gums in Essex.
Understanding the risks of periodontitis
However, if gingivitis is ignored or left untreated, it can often develop into periodontitis – or ‘gum disease’. This is a far more serious issue, which is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults across the world. The name ‘periodontitis’ translates to ‘inflammation of the area around the tooth’ and is caused by bacteria forming around the gum of the patient which goads their immune system to emit toxins, this then causes the gums to become inflamed. If periodontitis is left untreated, this inflammation and infection can often spread to the root of the tooth and result in the entire tooth being infected and often having to be removed. Additionally, a link has been found between untreated periodontitis and other health issues such as heart disease.
Keeping your gums healthy
Thankfully however, periodontitis can generally be avoided with good oral hygiene and regular brushing. Medicated mouthwashes and care and attention when brushing and flossing are the most commonly recommended tips to avoid plaque build-ups which could cause gum disease. However, we may also recommend you undertake a ‘scale and polish’ service from our expert dental hygienists. This is a preventive dental process which eradicates any build-up of plaque or tartar on your teeth, as well as any superficial stains – leaving them cleaner and healthier and thus minimising the risk of gingivitis developing. The scale and polish service we offer here at Crofts Dental Practice is not a purely cosmetic treatment such as tooth whitening, but rather one which aims to maximise the patient’s oral health, although they may find their teeth to feel far cleaner and appear healthier as a result of this treatment.