Gum Disease Myth
March 7, 2021
You’ve all heard of gum disease. However, many people think they know all about it, but not all information is correct, some are gum disease misconceptions.
When patients learn that they have gum disease at the dentist’s office, they often worry, which triggers many fears. In reality, gum disease is among the most common dental conditions. It’s a dental disease where your gums become extremely sensitive to bacteria, causing inflammation. Usually, the lack of proper dental care causes gum disease. It can progress to gingivitis and ultimately, periodontal disease if you don’t treat it early enough. Since gum disease is a severe dental issue, some myths surround it, which can be misleading. Here are a few gum disease misconceptions to note.
Gum Disease is Painful
Surprisingly, gum disease is a silent dental disease. Patients don’t often feel it because it isn’t painful. But there are signs to look out for, such as chronic bad breath, loose teeth, bleeding or tender gums, painful chewing, and receding gums. Ensure that you visit your dentist for examination and diagnosis as soon as you notice any of these signs. Note that gum disease is only treatable, but not curable. Therefore, treatment is often more effective during the early stages of gum disease.
Gum Disease Isn’t Very Common
Most people assume that they cannot develop gum disease because they brush regularly. People think that this is not a common disease. On the contrary, gum disease is among the most common dental diseases, affecting many people over 30 years. The risk of getting gum disease is higher with older people. However, the younger population is also at risk of gum disease. Therefore, keep an eye on your oral health and signs like bad breath and bleeding gums.
Gum Disease Only Affects Oral Health
The truth is gum disease can have adverse effects on your overall body health when you fail to treat it. Additionally, it increases the risk of other conditions, including, pregnancy complications like low birth weight and preterm birth, heart disease, diabetes some cancers and stroke. It also causes some types of dementia like Alzheimer’s disease. Ideally, when bacteria enter the bloodstream through your gums, they affect your body, causing other diseases.
Poor Oral Hygiene is the Only Cause of Gum Disease
Regular flossing and brushing are vital in managing gum disease. However, it cannot entirely prevent gum disease. Other factors increase the risk of infected gums, such as poor eating habits, tobacco use, genetics, and diabetes. That’s why it’s advisable to consider professional cleaning to get rid of all the tartar, plaque, and bacteria under your gums that flossing and brushing cannot remove.
No Cavities Means No Gum Disease
The misconception can be misleading. The fact that decay hasn’t affected your teeth yet doesn’t mean that you have healthy gums. You can have entirely healthy teeth without cavities but have inflamed, bleeding, and sensitive gums.
Gum Disease is Curable
The initial stage of gum disease is gingivitis, which you can reverse with excellent oral hygiene or regular cleanings because inflamed gums characterize it. However, you can only treat or manage gum disease once it passes the gingivitis stage, but not cure it. The good news is that you can stabilize the disease with effective periodontal treatments that reduce tooth loss risks and other health problems.
Gum Disease Means Losing Your Teeth
The truth is that you can save your teeth through proper oral hygiene. You don’t have to lose your teeth to gum disease. Your dentist can customize a treatment plan that will keep your teeth intact. You can also save your teeth by scheduling regular dental visits, eating a healthy diet, and flossing and brushing teeth at least twice a day.
Don’t be alarmed if you think you have gum disease. Visit your dentist for an examination and diagnosis. Fortunately, your dentist can help reverse gum disease symptoms and restore your health during the early stages of the disease. You can contact your dentist for consultation or if you have more questions about gum disease.
