4 Ways to Avoid Gum Disease

The knowledgeable team, led by Carol Scuro, DMD, Bradford Emery, DMD, and Nicholas Emery, DDS, at Emery & Scuro DMD, PC here in Rochester, New York, offers a comprehensive range of services, including preventive care, to help you optimize your oral health. They know that preventing a dental problem from developing or heading it off in its earliest stages is the best way to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Unfortunately, though, at an estimated 42% of the population, the number of adults over 30 with gum disease is astonishingly high. That’s why our team wants you to understand exactly what gum disease is, what causes it, and how you can prevent it.

Gum disease 101

Gum disease, also called periodontitis, occurs when the tissues that support and surround your teeth become infected. Bacteria-laden plaque accrues on your teeth and causes inflammation, which damages the bone and gums that support your teeth.

Gum disease has a few telltale symptoms, including:

• A bad taste in your mouth
• Breath that smells foul
• Pain when you chew
• Loose or shifting teeth
• Red, puffy, agitated gums
• Bleeding when you floss

You may also notice your gums are receding, or pulling away from your teeth.

Good news! Gum disease is preventable

Healthy gums are essential for a healthy mouth and your overall health as well. Thankfully, by following these four steps you can prevent gum disease from developing or reverse it in its earliest stages:

1. Brush your teeth at least two times per day

Brushing your teeth twice a day — first thing in the morning and at night before you go to bed — is key to removing the sticky film of bacteria (plaque) that glues itself to your teeth. If you leave plaque unattended for long, it hardens into tartar, a leading culprit in gum disease.

Make sure you're brushing with fluoride toothpaste for at least two minutes at a time, and guide your brush along the gumline where plaque tends to accumulate.

2. Floss every day (yes, really!)

Flossing might seem like a hassle, but it’s a tried-and-true strategy to prevent gum disease because your toothbrush can’t reach the crevices between your teeth and along the gumline where plaque congregates. Flossing dislodges and removes plaque before it hardens and leads to infection.

3. Choose a healthy diet and lifestyle

It may surprise you to learn that your diet directly impacts the health of your gums. Gum disease is more likely to develop if you eat a lot of sugar since it can feed germs in your mouth. On the other hand, a balanced diet filled with colorful fruits and vegetables promotes healthy gums and helps your body fight infections.  

In addition to diet, lifestyle choices like smoking and drinking excessively can also take a toll on your gums. Smoking, in particular, lowers blood flow to your gums, weakens your immune system, and makes it harder for you to fight inflammation and infection. 

4. Visit your dentist regularly

Even if you have a great oral homecare routine, it’s important to schedule regular dental checkups, typically every six months. During your appointment here in our comfortable office, your dentist or hygienist can catch early signs of gum disease that you might not recognize on your own. They’ll also provide a deep clean to remove tartar buildup that’s hard to get rid of with brushing and flossing alone. 

With the right habits and lifestyle, you can prevent gum disease and a host of other dental problems. If you already have gum disease and need advanced treatment, our team provides laser gum therapy to restore your gum health. Call for a checkup today or request an appointment online anytime.