Yes, that’s right, your teeth are similar to icebergs. That is, like icebergs, what you see is much smaller than what is below the surface (in your teeth’s case, it is the surface of your gums and not the surface of water). This means, in order to maintain proper dental health, you need to take care of your gums! 

Periodontal Disease

What happens if you don’t maintain the health of your gums?

Most of you probably know about gum disease—after all, almost 3 out of every 4 people suffer with some form of it. If you are not aware of gum disease, it is the consequence of not properly caring for your gums. Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is caused when plaque, tartar, and bacteria are not brushed away from where your teeth and gums meet by proper brushing and flossing. 

In early stages, gum disease is referred to as gingivitis, and is easily treated and cured. However, should your gum disease continue to develop, it will not be treated as easily, and, like diseases like diabetes, it cannot be fully cured. Once gum disease has developed, it can cause many other overall and oral health issues. In your mouth alone, gum disease can cause you to lose teeth, lose jaw bone mass, and bad breath (halitosis). 

If you are suffering from gum disease, there is treatment available for you. Dr. Van Treese and his team are equipped to properly diagnose your case and put together a treatment plan to give you the best results. However, we prefer that gum disease never develops in the first place.

Below are a few ways to prevent gum disease from developing:

1) Brush and floss

This seems obvious for your oral health, but, make sure you are gently brushing your gums, flossing as directed, and brushing for a full two minutes.

2) Rinse with mouthwash

Mouthwash can help to remove troublesome food that is stuck between your teeth and throughout your mouth. These food particles, if not removed, can cause bacteria and plaque buildup. 

3) Maintain regular oral wellness visits

Gum disease is extremely common. Receiving regular dental appointments is the best way to treat your oral health issues before they become serious.

Do you have gum disease?

Whether you have gum disease, or want to determine if you do or not, Dr. Van Treese and his team are here to help. If you would like to schedule an appointment at our office in Sidney, OH, simply contact us today! We are always welcoming new and return patients to our office.