Gum disease will wreak havoc on your smile and put your overall health at risk. But we are committed to helping you prevent gum disease, or at any rate, to catch it early enough to make a difference. All you have to do is make sure you are taking care of your oral hygiene at home and visiting our North Carolina dentist’s office regularly. With locations in Chapel Hill, Cary, Raleigh, and Durham, we make it easy to get all the care you need at Sunrise Dental.

Keep reading to hear more about preventing gum disease and then be sure to get in touch to schedule your next appointment with Dr. Vice.

Gum Disease: Early Detection Is Key

Gum disease is caused by oral bacteria. Get this: before we even get our first baby teeth, our mouths are already loaded with that dangerous bacteria.

When that bacteria slips below your gumline, it will cause inflammation and infection. Your gums will turn red and you may start to notice that they bleed easily, particularly when you are brushing your teeth.

Here’s some good news: the earliest stages of gum disease, also called gingivitis, can be contained and reversed. Here’s some bad news: if you don’t give the dentist a chance to detect and diagnose it, it will be impossible for us to notice any unhealthy changes that need to be addressed.

Don’t Let It End Badly

Periodontal disease is the late stage of gum disease. It typically involves a lot of painful tooth loss. But, that won’t be all it does. Once that oral bacteria gets loose in your bloodstream, it can attack the rest of your body. Medical research has demonstrated a link between gum disease and certain respiratory issues, heart disease, and even cancer! You wouldn’t want to wait for that to happen.

Plus, after a certain point it becomes harder to treat gum disease with conservative measures. If your teeth do start loosening up and falling out, you will be looking at the added time and expense that dental implants or dentures will bring. We can save you from that!

Preventive Dental Care & Restorative Treatments

There are a few things that can help keep you on track. When you are at home, brush your teeth twice per day using a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head. Floss once per day to remove any buildup in between your teeth. And maintain a healthy diet. These efforts will go a long way. Still, as we stated earlier, keeping up with your six month teeth cleanings and dental checkups is essential for preventing gum disease and cavities.

Dr. Vice can often treat early signs of gum disease just by helping you to better care for your teeth in between office visits. But for more intense cases we may need to perform a restorative treatment. Don’t worry, we definitely have some good options.

A Clean & Healthy Mouth Awaits!

We hope you have been inspired by today’s post. To get started, call one of our convenient NC locations today! Chapel Hill: 919-914-0844, Raleigh 919-578-9923, Durham: 919-213-9757 Cary: 919-902-5121!