Prevention of Periodontal Disease

Apart from bacteria, there are also other factors that cause periodontal disease.  In this article we are going to discuss the ways to prevent periodontal disease.

Smoking where causes many lung diseases is also responsible for periodontal disease.  The risk of this disease increases with increased smoking.  If smoking is stopped, then the occurrence of periodontal disease can be prevented.  If smokers suffer from gum disease, then they are likely to develop deeper periodontal pockets, which cause the infection to seat deeper into the gums, which would cause increased level of gum destruction.

Those individuals who have malaligned or crowded teeth or have braces or bridgework are also prone to have periodontal disease.  In this situation, an individual is unable to floss or brush their teeth, which results in gum diseases, which ultimately leads into periodontal disease.  It is best to ask your dentist to help you through maintaining proper dental hygiene so that you are able to prevent any periodontal disease.

There are people who are known to grind teeth.  This phenomenon is known as bruxism.  This problem does not cause periodontal disease however if the gums are severely inflamed, then this can lead to severe inflammation, which can speed up the periodontal disease process.  Bruxism can be prevented by using a custom guard mouth appliance, which can reduce grinding of the teeth.

Stress is also a very big contributor that weakens immune system and makes it difficult for the body to fight infections.  If individuals are suffering from periodontal disease and stress at the same time, then it becomes really difficult to ward off the infectious process.  It is always recommended that stress is managed before treating an infectious process, which makes it a lot easier to treat the condition.

Changes in the levels of hormones can also increase the risk of gum disease.  This can be mostly seen in puberty and pregnancy where there is increased risk of periodontal disease.

There are a lot of medicines that can cause the condition of dry mouth, which in turn can further progress to periodontal disease.  These medicines include Phenytoin, cyclosporine, nifedipine, etc.  Therefore if an individual suffering from periodontal disease must consult their doctor and ask about the relation of medicine with aggravation of periodontal disease, so that a proper step can be taken in order to treat this condition without any delay.

Poor nutrition also increases the risk of periodontal disease.  Vitamin C deficiency is the major cause of bleeding gums.  Therefore it is best to have better nutrition to prevent periodontal disease.