Periodontology Article

Common Causes of Gum Disease

Many of us are guilty of neglecting our dental health, not saying that we don’t brush our teeth, but that we may not take the time to do it correctly, or that we may not see the dentist as we should. Life is hectic, and the more hectic it seems to be, the more likely we are to start letting things slide to relieve some of the stress, and often we end up neglecting ourselves in the process. Few people know much about gum disease, but current studies indicate that it is the most common reason that adults actually start losing their teeth. Now, I don’t know about you, but I am in no hurry to have dentures, so this was enough information to make me sit up and take notice!

Gum disease is known in the dentistry world as periodontal disease, and for those of us who don’t see the dentist on a regular basis; it often goes unnoticed, until it is too late to do anything about it. This is why it is so important to not only care for your teeth, but not to wait until you have a problem to see your dentist.

There are basically two different stages of gum disease, the first one, gingivitis, usually isn’t severe, and can be treated, but if left untreated, turns into the second stage, periodontitis, which can definitely cause dental concerns. With gingivitis, your gums often get red and swollen, and you may easily dismiss it, unless your dentist recognizes it and talks with you about the dangers of ignoring the problem. If it progresses into periodontitis, then the swelling will spread inside your gums, actually eroding the bones that support your teeth, which in turn, causes them to fall out. Yikes!

Gum disease, or gingivitis, is often caused when bacteria, often found in plaque, builds up on your teeth and gums. If you don’t do a good job of brushing and flossing, this bacteria remains on your teeth and gums until it eventually causes gingivitis, and eventually, periodontitis. So, in a nutshell, gum disease is caused by not caring properly for your teeth, and allowing this bacteria and plaque to settle down in your gums, leading to eventual tooth loss.

Gum disease can also be linked to other factors, such as smoking cigarettes, using any kind of oral tobacco, some hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy and puberty, the use of certain prescription medications, teeth that are out of line and therefore hard to clean, etc. If you do any of the above, then you may either already have gum disease, or could be significantly at risk for it to develop. The best way to prevent gum disease is proper dental care, both at home on your own, and with your dentist. You can’t replace your teeth, unless you want dentures, so you really don’t get a second chance to do this right!