One of the leading dangers of bad oral hygiene is periodontal disease. This dental problem does not just damage the teeth, gums, and bone, but it can lead to other life-threatening illnesses as well. Periodontal disease is linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and aspiration pneumonia.
Sadly, a lot of people suffer from periodontal disease. The Guinness World Records even cites it as the most prevalent disease in the world. Indeed, it is a major cause of concern in the dental world, considering how easy it is to prevent.
Are You at Risk of Periodontal Disease?
It is worth noting that there are people who are at higher risk of developing periodontal disease. For example, those who wear braces can develop a mild form of gum disease during the entire period of wearing braces. Brushing and flossing properly can prove quite tricky because of the "obstructions."
Other high-risk folks are those who are at an advanced age, with diabetes, who take strong medication every day, under a lot of stress, smoke, and from a family wherein a lot of members have gingivitis and periodontal disease.
Periodontal Disease is Easy Enough to Prevent
In addition to simple preventative oral hygiene practices, there is an abundance of dental treatments that can prevent the development of the periodontal disease.
Regular oral prophylaxis, for one, is a reliable preventative treatment.
Meanwhile, those who already deal with calculus problems can request for deep dental cleaning. This cleans teeth beneath the gum line - the breeding ground of bacteria or microbes that lead to periodontal disease.
It's important to mention that periodontitis is also easier to prevent for those who get teeth whitening. Fort Lauderdale dentists say this is due to the fact that before the treatment is performed, they advise cleaning to ensure the best results.
Important Methods in Improving Oral Hygiene
When it comes to upholding oral hygiene to protect your gums and teeth from any type of damage, nothing beats brushing and flossing properly after meals. These two activities are the pillars of oral hygiene.
To support those pillars, here are other oral hygiene boosters.
1. Sound dietary habits
Eating nutritious food can strengthen teeth and fight oral bacteria that breed in the mouth. Eat foods rich in vitamins and minerals to boost the immune system to keep dental diseases at bay.
This is even more important if you're dealing with an illness that requires you to medicate every day. The nutrients in the food you eat can help outwork the corrosive effects of strong medicine.
2. Drinking water often
Drinking water often likewise boosts oral health by keeping the mouth hydrated. When your mouth is hydrated, oral bacteria do not proliferate fast. Also, drinking water helps remove mouth debris, especially for people who wear braces.
3. Cleaning your teeth with wet wipes
This is what dentists call a survival method for oral health. When you find yourself in a situation where water is limited, or there's no water at all, you can use wet wipes as a substitute for a toothbrush and floss.
Clean your teeth from the gumline to the end of the tooth to get rid of food debris.
4. Using a tuft dental brush
A tuft brush is best to use for isolated teeth. You can focus on the gum line where calculus deposits usually form and where oral bacteria get in. It’s also highly advisable to use a tuft brush if you get your teeth whitened to prevent yellowish plaque or tartar from compromising the flawless shine of your chompers.
According to a cosmetic dentist Fort Lauderdale residents trust, the right way to use a tuft dental brush from isolated teeth is really by taking your time. Make sure that you go around each tooth. Also, don't be afraid to push slightly into the gums to get more food debris out - however, be gentle in doing so.
5. Using interdental brushes
Most people think that these small brushes are only for people who wear orthodontic braces. But, interdental brushes are actually perfect to use when you have little gaps between your teeth.
They can squeeze into the gaps and clean teeth from the gum line and other hard to reach areas. Best of all, interdental brushes are so small that you can easily carry them with you wherever you go.
6. Oil pulling
This method has been around for centuries, but it's slowly regaining popularity. You can use sesame oil, coconut oil, or even olive oil for this mouth cleansing procedure. It's best to use this method in the morning.
Just swish a tablespoon of oil in your mouth like a mouthwash to get rid of mouth bacteria and remaining food debris between teeth. Health experts say VCO is the best to use because of its antibacterial and healing properties.
>Is There a Cure for Periodontal Disease?
Yes. Dentists can bring you back to health after surgery. The tartar, swelling, and damaged tissues are addressed in surgery. The problem is repairing damaged gums and bone is not easy. If it has shrunk due to infection, it usually remains receded after the conventional treatment for periodontal disease.
As for the teeth, they are much easier to treat. After all, there are different restorative or cosmetic dental treatments for a healthy appearance.
Recently though, an innovative drug for people with periodontal disease has come out. This regenerative therapy drug that uses cytokines, which has stem cells, allows the teeth's cementum, gums, and bone to heal thoroughly after surgery.
The medicine is applied after the surgery to ensure thorough repair. It's just a matter of time before the original appearance of teeth, gums, and bone is restored.
Do Not Allow Periodontal Disease to Compromise Your Quality of Life
Periodontitis, clearly, is no laughing matter. It can affect your overall quality of life. It does not just present the risk of seeing your teeth fall out. You may also cease to enjoy trivial activities such as eating your favourite food.
Plus, there are a lot of discomforts that you may feel not just because of the periodontal disease itself, but also due to the condition. You can suffer from frequent tummy-aches due to the difficulty in chewing, which leads to indigestion. Not only that, but headaches may also often occur due to infected jawbone.
So, commit to healthy oral practices. If you think about it, this does not take too much of your time to execute good oral hygiene. And, if you have healthy teeth and gums, you will not only feel good, but you most likely get the advantage of a beautiful smile as well.
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