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You may wonder what you can do to avoid gum disease. If so, we would like to share some of the risk factors to help you do this. Some of these factors can be a tad beyond your control, but others rely mainly on your choices and actions.
Some factors that are not totally in your control are your age, genes and teeth alignment. We all know that as we grow older, our bodies can require more care and handling. One of them could be your gum tissue, which may not withstand gum disease very well as it gets older, though not always. At other times, certain genes can just make us more susceptible even when we take good care of our mouths. Even teeth that are misaligned can increase your odds of getting gum disease. What can happen is their awkward positioning makes it difficult to access every part of your smile with your toothbrush, which allows plaque to build up and irritate the gum tissue. Understand that not all kinds of misaligned teeth can lead to this disease; it is just if they happen to block your toothbrush from reaching a certain area or areas.
Now having these factors does not mean that you have to live with gum disease. Our dental team can help you figure out a more effective prevention plan if you have genetic or aging factors that affect your odds. We can also offer orthodontic treatments to straighten any misaligned teeth, so you can reach all the sides of your teeth with your toothbrush and floss more easily.
As for the factors that are more under your control, you can look to oral hygiene and tobacco products. Oral hygiene, which includes brushing and flossing, can be your most important tool in gum disease prevention. Plaque is the major cause of gum disease, and daily brushing and flossing can clear it away before it can irritate your gums. If you forget to do these things, then the plaque can build up and lead to this problem. Tobacco products, meaning chew, cigars and cigarettes, can weaken your body’s defenses so that the disease can gain a foothold. They can also cause your gum line to recede, which leaves an opening for plaque to get under the gums.
As you keep up a good oral hygiene routine, you stand a greater chance of staying healthy. We understand that it can be difficult to quit tobacco products, but if you take the time to quit and have patience with yourself, you can keep the risk down and avoid other problems too.
These are not all of the risk factors, but what we have listed here can affect how well you stand against gum disease. We can help you understand more of the factors and help you prevent the problem here at Louisiana Dental Center in Harvey, Louisiana. You are welcome to call (504) 324-3353, and we will be glad to answer your questions and set up a visit for you. We are always happy to help you stay healthy!