Our doors are currently closed for general, preventive, and other elective procedures at the moment, limiting our care to emergency situations only. Which means caring for your smile from home is crucial. With that in mind, your Livonia, MI, dentist would like to highlight the importance of managing gum disease, and how if left untreated, this disease could lead to tooth loss.
The Link Between Gum Health and Smile Stability
Our gums not only frame our smile, but this tissue also secures our teeth and ensures a whole and healthy smile. However, when poor oral hygiene and other factors lead to gum disease, this could threaten the tissues holding our smile together. Periodontal disease forms when the smile develops gingivitis, or inflammation. The cause could be poor oral hygiene, which leads to plaque buildup, or as a result of certain medications, inflammatory illnesses, a family history of these issues, or the use of tobacco products. In the advanced stage, also known as periodontitis, the disease could begin to break down the tissues that connection your gums and teeth, leading to adult tooth loss.
Preventing Periodontal Problems
From home, you can take steps to help reduce the risk of periodontal disease and periodontitis, safeguarding your smile’s stability and preventing tooth loss. For example, twice a day you should brush your teeth for two minutes. You also need to floss every evening before bed, moving the tape up and down the length of each side of every tooth to remove all trapped food particles. These steps help prevent plaque buildup and serious inflammation. We also suggest consuming a healthier diet, with meals and snacks low in sugar and starch. If you have periodontal disease already, keep your dentist updated on any changes to your smile, such as soreness or bleeding.
Replacing Your Lost Teeth
If you do lose a tooth, we can offer treatment to address underlying oral health issues and restore the health of your smile. At this point, we can use implant dentistry to address minor and severe cases of tooth loss. Dental implants last for decades with proper care and attention, and help provide a durable and lifelike solution to missing teeth, restoring your smile’s health, beauty, and function. If you have any questions about avoiding periodontal disease, then contact our team today.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Our team is ready to help you enjoy a stronger smile, and obtain a full one once more with implant technology. To learn more about implant dentistry and emergency dental care, call James Stewart, DDS, dental implant office in Livonia, MI, at (734) 425-4400. We also serve the residents of Farmington, Plymouth, Dearborn Heights, and all surrounding communities.
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