Are You At Risk For Gum Disease?

While you may not often think about the health of your gums, perhaps you should.

We find that in talking to our patients in the Fort Lauderdale area, most of them don’t give much thought to the condition of their gums and teeth unless, 1) they’re at the dentist, 2) they’re brushing or flossing, or 3) they’re experiencing pain in their mouth.

And outside of a dentist telling you, “you’re gums are really bad — you should see a specialist,” most people won’t schedule a visit to a periodontist until they’re experiencing consistent pain with their gums, their teeth or jaw.

Gum disease is a sneaky issue. Generally, once the pain begins, you’ve already been subject to the advances of gum disease. The pain is symptomatic of “deeper issues” and shows when the disease has progressed.

At this point, intervention from an experienced periodontist is your next step.

So, how might you ward off gum disease in the future?

First, it’s important to know that the main cause of gum disease (periodontal disease) is plaque, but other factors affect the health of your gums, including:

• Age
• Smoking/Tobacco Use
• Genetics
• Medications
• Other Systemic Diseases
• Poor Nutrition and Obesity

If you take into account the factors that impact your chances of getting gum disease, you can make a plan to try and avoid it’s advances.

While you can’t avoid getting older, you can take better care of your health by eating correctly and exercising regularly. You can quit or cut back on smoking. You can brush and floss more often and schedule regular visits to your dentist.

You may also want to talk to your doctor or dentist to better understand the impact of your medication on your oral health (if you’re taking medications). The same can be said for medical issues and genetics — your doctor(s) should be able to give you an overview of your condition and how it may be related to your oral health.

For more information, visit the American Academy of Periodontology.

More questions for a local periodontist? Let’s chat.

If you have questions for a periodontist – please contact our offices. We’d be happy to talk more with you!

Deerfield Beach office: (954) 427-5700