The dangers of inflamed gums
Inflamed gums sounds so harmless. And yet it is not: chronic gum disease, periodontitis, can cause you to lose your teeth. It can even lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Research shows that almost a third of the Dutch population suffers from chronic gum disease, also known as periodontitis. Often without being aware of it. Periodontitis is gum disease that has spread to the underlying tissue and bone.
Causes
If you don’t brush your teeth properly or don’t clean between the teeth properly, plaque builds up. There are bacteria in the plaque. The plaque builds up between teeth, which causes the gums to become inflamed. According to professor of dentistry Frank Abbes, inflamed gums get deeper if you don’t do anything about it. This can have serious consequences.
Inflamed gums have more causes than just poor oral hygiene. The risk is also greater if you smoke, eat a lot of fat or eat foods that contain few vitamins.
Loss of teeth and molars
In severe cases of chronic gum disease, the teeth can become loose, because bacteria attack the supporting tissue and jaw bone. This can eventually cause you to lose teeth. People between the ages of 50 and 54 with periodontitis have lost an average of six teeth as a result of the condition.
Diabetes and cardiovascular disease
If your gums are chronically inflamed, this affects your immune system. Bacteria from the oral cavity can spread through the bloodstream in the body and end up in the cardiovascular system, which can cause serious problems throughout the body. It can even lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, because inflammation in the body plays an important role in these diseases.
Therapy
Inflamed gums can be treated well. A dental hygienist can remove the tartar and plaque. This will also make the inflammation disappear. When the inflammation is severe, it sometimes needs to be surgically removed. This is done by means of a flap operation: this treats the inflamed ‘pockets’ – the spaces between the gums and the teeth – which contain plaque and tartar. This prevents the inflammation from progressing further into the depths and eventually reaching the jawbone.
Tips to prevent inflamed gums
You can do a number of things yourself to prevent inflamed gums.
- Keep your mouth clean: Brush your teeth regularly and use a tool such as a brush or stick.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Stop smoking.
- Try to reduce stress.
- Keep your resistance up: eat healthy and take your rest.
- Have your teeth checked regularly by a dentist and dental hygienist.
Sources):
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- dentalinfo.nl
