The Three Most Common Gum Disease Causes

Gum disease is said to affect more or less three quarters to 90% of Americans at some point in their lives. Also known as periodontal disease, this condition is not one that comes on suddenly but instead it bides its time and by the time the effects are felts and seen, it will have been active quite frequently for more than a few months or even years!

When you notice sore, bleeding or maybe even receding gums, you must realize that you are seeing symptoms pointing to an advanced case of gum disease that requires medical intervention. While there are many different factors that lie at the root of this condition, the three most common gum disease causes are readily identified:

• Improper oral hygiene. Toothbrushes that are old and no longer have strong bristles that do the work, toothpaste that contains harsh chemicals, mouthwash that is little more than flavored water and dental floss that shreds and causes damage to the gums rather than removing food particles are all to blame for improper oral hygiene. Outdated, worn out, or impractical tools do more harm to the oral cavity and its tissues and dental structures than any other outside influence. Add to this the sometimes less than meticulous application of these tools and it becomes obvious rather quickly that this is one of the gum disease causes which is almost entirely under the control of the individual person.

• Lack of dental health care by a professional provider. No matter how frequently you glance into the mirror and admire your pearly whites, it requires the eyes of a professional dental health care provider and also hygienist to see past the dazzling white and look in between teeth and also blow the gum line to check for pockets of bacterial infection that might have formed. Ideally, you should be visiting the dentists twice a year with no more than six months in between dental appointments. At this time your mouth will be examined for any signs of damage, symptoms of gum disease, your teeth will be scraped and cleansed and have plaque buildup removed, and you might also receive some advice on proper dental care in case the dentist notices any problems.

• Last but most certainly not least among gum disease causes is dry mouth. This is a condition that the individual person has less control over than the first two, but in some ways there are possibilities of avoiding or relieving dry mouth. Generally speaking, dry mouth is caused by agents that dry up the saliva, a substance needed for the continuous washing away of bacteria from around your teeth and gums. The saliva flow may be decreased by using harsh toothpastes or mouthwashes that are alcohol based, as these serve to dry out the mucous membranes. In this case a switch to more natural products is indicated. Medications frequently have dry mouth as a side effect and in this case it is harder to undo the damage, especially if the medication cannot be replaced. In such cases it is suggested that you increase your water intake and in severe cases seek to counteract this most overlooked of gum disease causes by requesting to receive a prescription for artificial saliva.