Gum disease is fairly common among adults in the United States. The disease can cause anything from inflamed gums, to serious damage to the tissue around your teeth. How your gum disease progresses depends on the way you handle the diagnosis. With these tips, you can spot gum disease before it becomes a problem and take steps to improve your condition.

Causes

The mouth is full of bacteria that combine with other fluids in the mouth to form a sticky substance called “plaque.” You can actually see plaque build up in the crevices between teeth when you neglect to brush your teeth. If that plaque is not removed, it hardens and forms what is called “tartar” on the teeth. Typical brushing doesn’t remove tartar, so it’s important to get a dental hygienist involved if your mouth progresses to this point. The longer plaque and tartar are left unchecked, the higher the probability of gum disease.

Risk Factors

Most adults are at risk to gum disease, but it’s not terribly difficult to safeguard yourself. Smokers are one of the biggest groups at risk, and continuing to smoke also lowers your chances of successful treatment of gum disease. Maturing girls or women going through hormonal changes are also vulnerable to gum disease. Diabetes patients are at risk of developing all infections, even gum disease. Cancer, AIDS and other debilitating disease can take a toll on the teeth of the patient too. Patients should also be careful when taking medications that slow the production of saliva in the mouth. Some medicines can even cause gums to grow over teeth, which can also cause problems as the patient brushes or eats.

Symptoms

There are a few methods to tell if you’ve contracted gum disease of some sort. The first giveaway is bad breath that doesn’t seem to go away. You might also notice that your gums are unusually red or swollen, or that you have tender gums that bleed easily. If it hurts to chew, that would be another sign that you could have a problem. Loose or sensitive teeth are symptoms of the gums deteriorating, but gums can also recede.

Final Thoughts

These symptoms aren’t difficult for a dentist to spot, so do go in for a check up if you suspect that you have a gum disease. The treatment is usually medication, but the dentist may just give you a teeth cleaning and some revised instructions on daily care. Gum disease isn’t rare, but it is both treatable and preventable with proper care.

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The health of a child’s mouth truly begins during pregnancy, when the teeth are formed. A woman’s diet during this period will help to keep a baby born healthy and happy. It’s also important for pregnant women to maintain good dental health, visiting the dentist to check for gum disease and go for regular cleanings. Here are some other tips to help with the oral health care of an infant’s teeth.

Teething

A child’s teeth typically begin to break through the gums at around the age of 6 months. During this period, your child is likely to teeth. You should give them something soft to chew on, which helps the teeth erupt from the gums and lessens some of that discomfort. Your child’s first teeth may take up to three years to grow in, but he is likely to lose them by the time he is eleven. There is a slight overlap, where the child’s permanent teeth can start growing as early as six and finish as late as twenty-one.

First Exams

The doctor should conduct his first exam of a baby’s teeth by the time the child reaches six months of age. It’s likely that the mother’s dental history will be called into question during these initial exams as well. This is done to try and establish a history of illness in the family. The child’s first tooth will typically come in before his or her’s first birthday.

Tooth Care

A child’s mouth is susceptible to bacteria, so the spoon that is shared between parent and child present a health risk for them. Kissing can also bring risks to the child’s health, Parents also inadvertently cause health risks when they put a child to sleep with a bottle. The sugars inside of the milk can cause tooth decay, so remove it as soon as the child is done feeding.

The fluoride that is in your local water supply will often be enough for your child’s oral health, but you should consult your doctor to find acceptable limits. Too much fluoride can be toxic to your child, so it’s important that you monitor these levels carefully.

Final Thoughts

There are a variety of problems that can cause oral health issues in a child. Thumb sucking, for instance, can cause teeth to come in crooked. Exposure to tobacco smoke can stain the teeth and lead to tooth decay.

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