Dental Services Periodontal Health Gum Disease Prevention

Coral Gables Gum Disease Prevention

Preventing Gum Disease is something that everyone can do. The best dental care starts with the dental care you should be performing every day right in your own bathroom. Our team at University Dental Health will educate you through a demonstration on the best techniques and tips to maintain healthy gums and prevent infection from causing havoc.

How Am I Getting Gum Disease?

Gum Disease is from bacteria attacking your gums. We are constantly subject to bacteria. Our mouths are constantly in use from eating, speaking, and breathing. We use our mouths both out of necessity and to engage socially. And though the rest of our bodies are protected from all of this daily engagement with a covering we call our skin, our mouths are an open-source into our bodies, a place that bacteria is allowed in unhindered.

Food Debris

Eating is necessary. We will all daily consume food. As we chew food, we blend our food with saliva, and though most are swallowed, some are left behind. The blend is called plaque. Plaque is filled with bacteria. Plaque and larger food particles stick between our teeth, in the nooks and crannies of their surfaces, and along the rim that divides our teeth and gums. If not brushed and flossed away regularly, plaque will harden into what is known as calculus. Calculus is not easily removed and should only be removed by a hygienist so as to not damage the teeth. With hardened, bacteria-filled, calculus between and along the rim of your gums, the disease has now set in.

Medical Conditions, Medication, & Smoking

Any condition that lowers your immunity or slows your ability to heal can increase the effects and damage of gum disease. Many patients may feel that other conditions are irrelevant to the health of their gums, but heart disease, diabetes, certain medications, smoking, and even pregnancy can make you more susceptible to not being able to fight off bacteria and the effects of infection.

How Can I Prevent Gum Disease?

You can prevent gum disease by:

Starting and maintaining a good home oral hygiene routine.
Brush twice a day for at least two minutes. Floss each night after you have finished eating for the day. We find it best to move your floss in the formation of the letter C, not just up and down. Use mouthwash. Change your toothbrush every three months to lessen the bacteria on your brush. Be diligent about your oral care.
Schedule regular dental cleanings.
A visit with a hygienist twice a year allows for the removal of any food debris, plaque, or calculus, that is filled with bacteria and damaging your teeth and gums.
Have regular dental exams.
Have our South Miami dental team maintain a regular relationship with your teeth. we can see the progress, both good and bad, and make adjustments to your treatment plan as necessary.