Gum Health

It’s vital to look after your gums as part of a good oral health regime.

Bleeding gums, shrinking gums, loose teeth, bad breath and a bad taste can all often be signs that you have progressive gum disease.

Almost 50% of adults in the UK have some form of gum disease, which range in severity. Gum disease is often underestimated by patients – this is mainly because the very first symptoms are not painful, which means they often slip under the radar.

Keeping Gums Healthy

Recent medical advances are increasingly proving that the state of your oral health can potentially affect other aspects of your overall general health too, making it even more important to look after your teeth and gums.

Here are just a few easy ways to do this:

1. Ensure you brush your teeth regularly and effectively, for at least two minutes each time
2. Don’t smoke – smoking can not only stain and damage your teeth, and also increases the amount of bacterial plaque your mouth produces.
3. Cheese and yoghurt are both packed with calcium, which are great for your teeth and bones. Salad greens are a solid option for mealtimes, for similar reasons.

Why Gum Health Is So Important

Looking after gums is crucial to avoiding gum disease. Plaque and tartar are the two main contributors of gingivitis, or gum disease. Plaque is a sticky film that forms over your teeth, comprising bacteria, mucus and food particles. If it’s not dealt with, it then develops into tartar; a harder substance that is even more difficult to eradicate.

Eventually, the bacteria from tartar can lead to gingivitis; it causes an infection in which first the gums become swollen and more prone to bleeding. Over time, the gum will start to pull away from the tooth.

Gingivitis can develop into periodontitis, which is usually signalled by further inflammation and bleeding. As the condition progresses, the gum’s attachment to your tooth will start to break down entirely. When it reaches the stage of advanced periodontitis, teeth will start falling out entirely.

Thankfully, due to the severity of the symptoms many people will begin treatment long advanced periodontitis has a chance to fully occur, and at AP Smilecare, we’re on a mission to ensure that never happens to you.

That’s why our hygienists at AP Smilecare can offer a variety of clinics that target your specific gum issues – you can read about some below!

Call us on 01254 297 000 to book your new patient consultation. You can also book a free remote appointment quickly and easily online.

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