Gum Treatments

Keep your Teeth Strong, your Breath Fresh and your Body Healthy

It’s hard to believe that gum health can matter in all these things - teeth, breath and overall health - but it’s true:

• Gums anchor your teeth and protect their roots. If they develop disease, you are at risk for serious tooth problems. Many adults lose their teeth because of gum disease!
• Healthy gums hug the teeth tightly. Problem gums leave “pockets” between the gum and the tooth, which are a breeding ground for bacteria leading to bad breath, swollen gums, decay and gum disease.
• Gums disease (also known as periodontal disease) has been linked to general health implications such as heart disease and certain cancers.

That’s why it’s supremely important to keep your gums healthy and to treat any problems that arise.

Let’s talk more about those bacteria a second. They are the start of a horrible chain of events.

• If you don’t practice good brushing and flossing habits, those bacteria will harden into plaque.
• Plaque releases toxins that attack your gums, which support your teeth. In the initial stages, this causes gingivitis (bright red, tender, swollen gums that are prone to bleeding). Gingivitis, happily, can be reversed with daily flossing and brushing.
• When gum disease worsens, it is known as periodontitis. It weakens the gums and your teeth loosen. Loose teeth may eventually fall out or have to be extracted.
• Going back to plaque – it can still be brushed away, but if you don’t remove it, it will harden into tartar, a hard, rock-like substance that sticks to your tooth. Tartar cannot be removed by brushing or flossing. It needs to be removed by your dentist.
• Tartar that isn’t removed can cause bone loss, leading to very serious dental problems such as loss of structure, loss of the ability to chew or speak properly and premature ageing.
• Recently studies have found that the bacteria and swelling associated with gum disease may play a role in other illnesses. Some of those include heart disease, circulatory disease, and premature births in pregnant women.

You get the point.

Gum disease is insidious and our dentists at Centre Dentaire Laval-Ouest will help make sure you don’t get it .

What makes gum disease worse?

• Poor dental hygiene
• Certain health conditions like diabetes
• Stress
• Tobacco use
• Certain mediations
• Crooked or crowed teeth
• Hereditary disposition.

Gum disease often doesn’t have symptoms

But if you have one or more of these signs, see us right away!

• Persistent bad breath
• Persistent bad taste in your mouth
• Sensitive, swollen or irritated gums, which bleed upon brushing of flossing
• Loose teeth
• Shifting or moving of your teeth, changes in your bite.

It’s important to restore your gums back to health

Your dentist can help you with a treatment plan depending on the severity of your situation. Meticulous oral hygiene, sensible healthy diet and regular check-ups  help reduce and avoid the risk of periodontal disease. Protect your gums, the gateway to your overall health!

At Centre-Dentaire Laval Ouest, we can help you keep your gums healthy and teeth strong. Call us to get things started at (450) 627-2658.