Choose a Pediatric Dentist for Your Child's Smile

Prevent Premature Tooth Loss: 2 Steps To Protect Against Gum Disease

When it comes to gum disease, what you don't know can hurt you. In fact, what you don't know can lead to premature tooth loss. If you've been diagnosed with gum disease, you need to follow your dentist's treatment plan. Without proper follow up care, gum disease can return. Unfortunately, once the condition returns, there's a greater likelihood that you'll lose some, or all, of your teeth. In fact, gum disease is the leading cause of premature tooth loss in adults. Here are two steps you should take to ensure that gums stay healthy after treatment for gum disease.

Brush and Floss Regularly

Gum disease is the leading cause of premature tooth loss in adults. To prevent tooth loss, proper oral hygiene has to become an important part of your daily routine. Once you've been diagnosed with gum disease, you need to brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day – once in the morning and once at night. For maximum benefit, you should try to brush and floss after each meal. If you're unable to brush and floss after each meal, replace your after-meal brushing with a piece of chewing gum or a few fresh, crunchy vegetables.

The process of chewing gum, or eating crunchy vegetables will help clean your teeth and gums between meals. It will also encourage saliva production, which will wash away food particles and bacteria. It's also a good idea to add a medicated mouthwash to your daily oral hygiene routine. The mouthwash will keep germs and bacteria that can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

See the Dentist

If limited dental care is what got your gums into trouble in the first place, you need to increase your dental visits. Gum disease is treatable, but only with proper oral hygiene and dental care. To keep your teeth and gums healthy, you need to see your dentist at least once every six months. It's important to note that if you experience dental problems between visits, you should contact your dentist as soon as possible. This includes bleeding or swelling of your gums, foul odors coming from your mouth, or a discharge coming from around the base of your teeth. These could be signs that your gum disease is returning.

Gum disease doesn't have to lead to premature tooth loss. If your dentist has prescribed a treatment plan for your gum disease, be sure to follow it. The tips provided here will help you keep your teeth and gums healthy. If you do face premature tooth loss, be sure to speak to your dentist about dental implants.