Periodontal or gum disease is one of the chronic inflammatory diseases caused by bacteria attacking the tissues that surround and support your teeth (gums or gingivitis). This is one of the most dangerous and most frequent dental problems which nowadays can be found in every three of four Americans over 35. At the same time, according to the research carried out by Harris Interactive Inc, only 60% of adult Americans have enough information on how to recognize the symptoms and prevent gum disease. Many people are also not aware about the fact that this disease is one of the leading reasons of tooth loss.

Periodontal disease usually starts with formation of bacteria (or plaque) around your teeth, that within the time accumulates and hardens into calculus (or tartar). After this, bacteria begin affecting the gums around your teeth, so such effects as bleeding or receding gums, sensitive or swollen gums can take place. On the second stage of the disease, bacteria can grow below the gumline and affect the teeth, make them lose and damage the connective tissues.

Gum Disease Development

Therefore, the following symptoms must give you a signal about inflammation and possible serious problems with your gums:

•    Bleeding gums;
•    Swollen or sore gums;
•    Too red or too pale gums;
•    Gum recessions;
•    Painful teeth;
•    Loose or shifting teeth;
•    Bad breath.

On its early stages gum disease can be quite painless and hard to be detected. Certainly, the earlier the disease is detected, the more effective medical treatment will be. Generally, the treatment is aimed on removing the tartar from the roots of teeth and assisting gums in healing and reattaching. Modern medicine offers the following options for periodontal disease treatment: operative procedures, laser treatment, antibiotic treatments, scaling and root planing, medications and other periodontal procedures.

The specialists recommend regular dental check-ups and healthy diet as the most effective preventive measures for gum disease. Do not delay seeing your dentist after you have noticed the first symptoms of possible inflammation in your gums. Also, always remember that proper dental care (regular brushing, flossing, as well as visiting your dentist twice a year) is sufficient for keeping you gums and teeth healthy for a lifetime!

Tags: dental care, gum disease, loss of teeth, oral hygiene, periodontal disease

Posted: September 13th, 2008 under Dental Care for Every Day.
Comments: 2

It is possible to avoid a great number of dental problems if you take a good care about your mouth and teeth. Correct brushing is the most important method of oral hygiene which helps to keep your gums and teeth healthy. The procedure of tooth brushing includes a sequence of very easy stages, but, to begin with, there are a number of related tips for effective brushing that everyone must know.

General tips for brushing your teeth:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day: in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before going to bed.
• Get a toothbrush with synthetic bristles of proper size. Too large toothbrushes can be harmful for your teeth and gums, so it is better to choose a smaller toothbrush.
• Do not use a hard-bristled toothbrush because it can damage your gums.
• Brush your teeth minimum two-three minutes per session.
• Do not make too vigorous movements of the brush when brushing your teeth.
• End your brushing session with cleaning your toothbrush and placing it to a safe place.
• Change your toothbrush every three months.
• Consider using electric toothbrushes because they are more effective than manual ones.

There are several approaches and methods of tooth brushing, which are different from each other with the types of the motions of your brush (scraping, sweeping, circular motions, etc.), the sequence of the motions or the order of brushing the surfaces of your teeth. If you want to maintain a proper level of oral hygiene, it can be useful to consult your dental doctor for some practical advice about the most effective tooth brushing technique.

Tags: dental care, oral hygiene, tooth brushing, toothbrush, toothpaste

Posted: June 12th, 2008 under Effective Brushing.
Comments: none

A beautiful smile can facilitate or even change your life. It can help you to find a better job or make useful social connections. Smiling people always evoke positive emotions, trust and good feeling. But what to do if your teeth have a yellow shade and your gums frequently bleed? Certainly, these two problems are closely linked to each other, because your teeth can not be healthy if something is wrong with your gums. Therefore, a good oral health comprises several important ingredients, including white teeth, healthy gums, strong enamel, and so on.

In ancient epochs, our ancestors were eating only uncooked vegetables or meat, and, actually, their teeth were getting cleaned up during the meal. Eat an apple or a carrot, and you will see that your teeth became cleaner and your gums feel revitalized. Fresh uncooked vegetables can clean you teeth from plaque and food particles. However, in modern times we prefer eating processed soft food rich with carbohydrates. Such food can not clean or refresh our teeth. On the contrary, acids and other chemical components of soft drinks and foods are very dangerous and harmful for teeth.

It is hardly possible to find someone, who wouldn’t have faced problems with the teeth or gums by the age of 20. Nowadays, advanced medical technologies allow us to feel less pain during dental treatment, but the procedures still remain very costly. Moreover, overwhelming majority of people always feel very nervous and stressed out before visiting their dentists. Finally, effective dental care helps to get rid of bad breath and improves person’s overall health. That is why the issues of rational oral hygiene and dental health are topical for our society and many of us try to learn more about the ways to protect our oral and dental health.

Useful general tips for good dental hygiene and oral health:

• Maintain a good balanced diet and lead a healthy life.
• Do not use your teeth as a can opener or other tool because such activities can seriously damage the enamel.
• Avoid chewing hard foods (dry beans, pope corn kernels, candies, ice cubes, etc.).
• Decrease the consumption of the foods with high content of sugar, such as chocolate, jams, honey, sweet soft drinks etc., as well as carbonated drinks, lemons and other foods or drinks which can harm your teeth.
• Avoid smoking and using chewing tobacco.
• Avoid having too hot and too cold meals.
• If you need to remove some food particles left after meal between your teeth, use the toothpick very carefully.
• Brush your teeth in the morning and in the evening.
• Select your toothpaste carefully.
• Use correct brushing technique.
• Do not use too hard toothbrush
• Change your toothbrush once per two-three months.
• When brushing your teeth, do not forget to scrub your tongue with the special surface on the backside of your toothbrush
• Use special antimicrobial rinsing solutions to refresh your breath and protect your teeth against the plaque during the day
• Floss your teeth properly once a day
• Do gum massage with a special soft toothbrush once a week
• Avoid using medications (such as aspirin, anticonvulsants, etc.) that can damage your teeth and gums
• Avoid such habits as grinding, clenching or grating your teeth as they can bring to a physical damage of your teeth.
• Twice a year see your dentist or dental hygienist for regular dental and periodontal checkups, plaque removal, cleaning and other preventive measures.
• Never postpone visiting your dentist when you have noticed a problem with your teeth or gums, especially when you have an aching or decaying tooth.

A beautiful smile is one of the most important components of your image, so there is no reason to spare your money, time and efforts for proper dental care. Maintaining a good oral and dental health is not too hard and it always brings multiple rewards. Brush your teeth two times a day, rinse out your mouth after every meal, take care about your tongue and gums, and, finally, visit your dental specialist regularly. Remember that you can take care about your teeth better than your dentist. Have the smile you always wanted to have!

Tags: dental care, oral health, oral hygiene

Posted: June 10th, 2008 under Dental Care for Every Day.
Comments: none