Gum disease is more than a nuisance. It can cause you to have bad breath. It may cause you to bleed when you attempt and brush and floss your teeth. When you leave gum disease untreated, its effects can become more aggressive. In fact, the main reason people experience tooth loss is thanks to complications from gum disease. One of the reasons you are told to
see your dentist for a semiannual checkup is that it provides them with the opportunity to examine your oral health. That examination includes looking out for signs that you are suffering from gum disease.
Why Preventive Oral Care Matters
Preventive care matters – your teeth benefits, and your gums benefit. Preventive care at home means making sure to brush and floss effectively, as well as avoiding the excess consumption of foods and drinks that can harm your teeth. Smart practices at home, and regular dental checkups, can mean fewer cavities (and less restorative dental work). It can also mean stopping gum disease early, so that it does not grow in severity over time.
Advanced Gum Disease Can Mean Losing Teeth
For people who are dealing with advanced gum disease, tooth loss can be a real problem. If you have already experienced this, you can talk to your dentist about restoring your smile with the help of replacement teeth. A stable replacement tooth can improve on your appearance. A dental bridge, and a restoration fitted on a dental implant, will be stable enough to have functional upsides as well. For people with advanced issues, replacing lost teeth, and dealing with gum disease, can be part of a larger full-mouth restoration.