How To Effectively Prevent Periodontal Disease
The importance of taking care of your teeth can never be overstated. This is especially true when you consider how many individuals today are afflicted by and suffering with different stages of periodontal (gum) disease. In fact, it is well documented that more people have lost teeth due to periodontal disease than tooth decay. Ironically, most of us are walking around with some degree of the disease and are not aware of it. In most instances, periodontal disease can be identified early on and stopped from progressing any further. However, some individuals are genetically predisposed to the condition.
Controlling Plaque
When plaque is controlled properly by a Community Dental Group dentist, periodontal disease can usually be reversed. The control of plaque is based on you brushing and flossing your teeth on a daily basis after meals and visiting our office every 6 months for an exam and professional cleaning. According to the ADA (American Dental Association), plaque can be removed from the tooth surface that you can reach with regular daily brushing. Additionally, food particles and plaque that accumulate beneath the gum line and between your teeth by be removed by regular flossing.
Health And Lifestyle Changes
Another way to effectively prevent the onset of periodontal disease is by making certain health and lifestyle changes. These changes will not only decrease the risk of infection and the severity of it, but will they will also decrease the speed at which the disease progresses:
Avoid clenching your teeth and grinding them – this is also referred to as bruxism. This excessive force on a tooth’s supportive tissues could increase the rate of damage to them and eventually lead to their destruction.
Maintain proper nutrition with a well-balanced diet – the best way to strengthen your immune system against infection is by maintaining proper nutrition and following a well-balanced diet. Eating certain foods that are high in antioxidants as well as Vitamin C and E is very beneficial where strengthening your immune system is concerned. Here are some foods to consider adding to your diet:
- broccoli
- citrus fruits
- green leafy vegetables
- nuts
- potatoes
- vegetable oils
These foods help your body’s immune system to fight off infection and heal damaged tissue.
Reduce your stress level – when your stress level increases your immune system has more difficulty fighting off any type of infection.
Stop smoking – tobacco significantly increases the risk of developing periodontal disease. Statistics show that individuals who don’t smoke are 7 times less likely to develop it than smokers are. Additionally, tobacco smoking decreases the likelihood of treatment success.
Community Dental Group can provide you with a list of helpful tips for preventing gum or periodontal disease. Please contact us today or visit our Thousand Oaks office for more information about this and other oral hygiene tips.