The Five Myths That Keep You from Getting Gum Disease Treatment

Your gums are swollen, reddened, and might even be bleeding. You know something is wrong and in spite of more vigorous brushing, flossing, rinsing, and an increase in vitamins and care that is taken to brush between meals, the inflammation does not die down. You have gum disease and you know that only a visit to the dentist’s office can help you.


Unfortunately, unless you are committed to your dental health or do not suffer from dentist visit anxiety, you will be prone to ignore the warning signs. Feeding your willingness to ignore are most likely myths that keep you from getting gum disease treatment that you need. Although untrue, they appear to have permeated the collective unconscious and thus are sometimes touted as truths by those who do not know better.


  1. Gum disease happens to everyone at some point and it clears up on its own. This is a particularly dangerous myth since it is half true: gum disease does happen to pretty much everyone but just like any other infection it does not clear up by itself. Imagine your hand or foot having an oozing sore that hot to the touch, dark red and painful! Would you ignore it?

  2. Gum disease is caused by bacteria and you can just take the leftover antibiotics you have from another ailment that had you visiting the doctor. First of all, you should not have any antibiotics left over, but secondly, even though gum disease is indeed an infection caused by bacteria it will not respond to antibiotic treatments only. A one-two punch is required and although antibiotics may be prescribed in the more advanced cases, a removal of plaque must be accomplished first.

  3. The dentist will pull your teeth if you go for gum disease treatment. While she or he may discuss removing teeth that are beyond saving, it is by far more common for teeth to be lost naturally due to gum disease! As you are avoiding the gum disease treatment, the gums are receding to such an extent that the teeth are loosening and will eventually fall out by themselves.

  4. It’s normal for gums to bleed once in a while. Actually, this is much like saying that it is normal for your cheeks to bleed once in a while. Unless there is an injury to the gums, there is no reason why they should be bleeding.

  5. Other health concerns are more pressing and you can get around to your gum disease treatment when you are done with the other problems. As a matter of fact, the infection your body is fighting in the mouth has a way of moving on to other parts of the body and before long your whole body’s health is at stake. Do not put off gum disease treatment just because you have another concern first; approach both problems concurrently.

 

There are several other myths out there as well, all of which serve as convenient excuses to the scared and the uninformed to delay or avoid getting gum disease treatment. Do not join their number but instead seek help today!