In order to keep the teeth strong and in their places, we need to look after not only them.
The health of the teeth depends on how the gums feel.
How does inflammation begin?
Inflammation of the gum, or gingivitis, provokes bacteria that multiply in plaque. They penetrate the gum and secrete enzymes and toxins. In this case, the gum changes in color. It becomes red, if the inflammation is acute, or acquires a bluish tinge, if the process has passed to the chronic stage – and swells.
However, the first sign of inflammation, which you will notice yourself – bleeding gums when cleaning teeth or eating solid food.
Immediately to the doctor
If the gum bleeds, it is necessary as soon as possible to apply to the dentist, in time to begin treatment, while the process of inflammation in the gums is still reversible.
Without proper treatment, the inflammation will progress, and can move to the next, more severe stage – periodontitis. This is the destruction of the bone tissue of the dental hole and the formation of the periodontal pocket – the space between the root of the tooth and the gum.
In this case, the tooth becomes mobile and, with considerable damage to the bone, falls out. By the way, periodontitis is one of the most frequent causes of tooth loss.
How to avoid gum disease
- Visit the dentist regularly – at least twice a year. The specialist will examine the oral cavity, teach teeth cleaning, pick up the necessary hygiene products, carry out a professional removal of dental plaque – plaque and tartar.
- Regularly and carefully care for the oral cavity: brush your teeth with a toothbrush and paste, use dental floss and mouthwash according to the recommendations of the dentist.
- For the prevention and treatment of early stages of gum disease, use toothpastes and rinses containing extracts of medicinal plants, essential vegetable oils.
- Consult your dentist – he will choose the most suitable means for you and tell you how to alternate them, so that you do not get used to it.
- Toothpastes and rinsers with antiseptics, as a rule, are prescribed already in the presence of inflammation. The duration of the course of use of these funds is determined by the dentist.
It is necessary to follow its recommendations to avoid a negative effect on the normal microflora of the oral cavity and the appearance of dysbiosis. - Gum massage improves blood circulation. It can be done with each brushing of teeth – at the end of cleaning, making light circular motions with a toothbrush with closed teeth.
- Hydromassage of gums can be done with the help of Oral irrigator – special devices that accurately deliver a stream of water or an antiseptic solution under pressure from 0.7 to 4.8 bar.
- Clean the interdental spaces very carefully, so as not to injure the gingival papillae located between the teeth. A chronic injury with a floss or toothpick can lead to a change in their contour and the formation of a gap between the teeth.
Eat right
- Eat less fast-carbohydrate-rich foods. These include flour products, sweets, many fast food products. They contribute to increasing the formation of plaque and serve as a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria that destroy teeth and gums.
- Include in the habitual diet of solid food – raw vegetables, hard fruit – requiring intensive chewing, which leads to an increase in the current of saliva and natural cleansing of the oral cavity. It is advisable to eat solid vegetables and fruits after taking sweet, sticky and soft food.
- Include in the menu a sufficient amount of protein for a normal update of the mucous membrane of the mouth and gums.
- Avoid the development of hypovitaminosis. After all, pathological changes in the gums most often develop with a deficiency of vitamins A, C and D.
Things to remember
The health of the teeth depends on the condition of the gums. If the process of inflammation in the gums goes too far, a person can lose teeth. To prevent gum disease, you must regularly visit the dentist, properly clean the mouth and avoid sweet and sticky food that provokes the multiplication of bacteria.
Image credit: Engin_Akyurt