Keeping your gums healthy: A Guide

People take for granted that their gums are there to hold their teeth in place and don’t think about them overly much. It is, after all, the teeth that matter. What they may not realize is if the gums are in bad shape, they won’t be able to hold the teeth well. Even a healthy tooth can fall out in cases of severe gum disease. But that’s far from the only problem unhealthy gums can lead to.

The Importance of Healthy Gums

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of all adults have some form of gum disease. Healthy gums not only prevent tooth loss, but people with unhealthy gums are more prone to diseases such as diabetes, diseases of their heart and lungs and dementia.

They’re even more likely to develop complications during pregnancy. No one knows why this is but some health experts think it might be from the inflammation caused by the bacteria that live in the gums.

A person can tell they have gum disease because their gums bleed when they brush their teeth. Their gums look spongy and may pull away from their teeth, and they may have bad breath and a misaligned bite. This is not only uncomfortable but may make a person self-conscious and impact both their social and work life.

The good news is that when the health of the gums improves, so do many of these conditions. This is where our dentists and staff at The Toothbar comes in.

Our Austin dental center specializes in preventive dentistry, so the earlier the patient comes in when they suspect that they have gum disease, the easier it is to help them.

First, we clean our patients’ teeth with ultrasonic scaling. Scaling is a technique that removes tartar from the teeth. Tartar is plaque that’s hardened, and it is sometimes found beneath the gum line where it can cause damage to the gums.

Our dentist in downtown Austin Texas offers restorative dentistry to those patients whose teeth have already been affected by gum disease. For example, we give our patients the option to choose full or partial dentures and dental implants.

Dental implants are posts fused to the bone of the jaw then topped with an abutment and a crown. These crowns can resemble the patient’s own teeth so perfectly that only we and the patient know that they’re prosthetic. Dental implants can also secure dentures.

We also offer patients bridges to support weakened teeth.

The staff at our Austin dental center teaches our patients how to avoid gum disease or take those steps to reverse early gum disease. This includes brushing, flossing, using mouthwash and watching their diet. When it comes to brushing, the patient should use a soft-bristled brush because hard bristles can hurt the gums. They should have a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and eat lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts.

Of course, we recommend that all of our patients come in to see our dentist in downtown Austin, Texas every six months or so. Our preventive dentistry can stop gum disease from worsening if it’s caught early. Give us a call now!