The Avoidable Problem of Gum Disease
Author: Sally Total views: 11 Word Count: 575
When we are kids we focus on the dentist and the hygienist as giving advice on how to avoid tooth decay. Later as adults we realize that everything in the mouth is connected and related so all of the brushing and flossing advice over the years can help prevent gum disease as well. Kids don't like the drill and the chair, but have a very high tolerance for the minor annoying gum disease problem. A little bleeding and sensitivity don't bother them much and the problems can often go untreated.
The most common reason for bleeding gums is the gum disease gingivitis. The gums become irritated by a bacterial infection and swell a significant amount. They may be tender to the touch and have some light bleeding when flossing or brushing actively. Gingivitis is normally seen for a few days at most so the best action is to continue to brush and floss often to clean out the problem.
It turns out that plaque is a great breeding ground for the bacteria of gum disease fame. The bacteria are in the mouth anyway, but given this excellent growth material, they grow too much and too fast. They also end to gather in one spot.
Gingivitis is not a painful gum disease and can be cured usually be a good cleaning either at home or by the dentist. Mouthwash can fight the growth of the bacteria associated with the disease with alcohol or other antibiotic type ingredients. The daily rinsing of a mouth with these agents can reduce the bacteria growth to normal levels in a few days. If the action is combined with flossing the effects are very rapid.
Periodontitis is named a gum disease, but it will affect the roots of the teeth and more. The infections will travel from the gingival gum areas near the teeth towards the jaw bones. The tooth roots will be affected and eventually destroyed. In advanced cases the actual bones will be destroyed leaving the teeth without a structure to hang on with.
Another tool for gum disease prevention is flossing. Flossing is able to get directly at the connections between the teeth and gums where bacteria like to hide. The flossing action helps move the bacteria into the open mouth for removal. Flossing will also serve to show signs of bleeding gums earlier as a warning of gum inflammation.
The rate this gum disease progresses is very rapid and can seriously affect your entire mouth if not treated effectively in the beginning. If not treated, the infection spreads up the tooth canals to work on destroying the root tissues and ligament structures attaching the tooth to the mouth. The unchecked progress on this disease will eventually affect the bone structures of the jaw and actually can destroy the bone.
Leukemia is not really related to gum disease at all, but causes serious problems in the blood of the patient. The blood has reduced abilities to thicken and clot if the body has leukemia present. Bleeding gums are one possible clue to the underlying disease. There are several tests to track down the actual cause of bleeding gums, but many doctors will stop at gum problems first before thinking in other directions.
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