What Causes Gum Problems?

Dental health doesn’t only mean caring for the teeth, it also means keeping your gums healthy. Gums play an important role in your oral health. Improper cleaning of teeth like poor brushing and flossing can cause gum problems. It can also cause plaque to built up. The bacteria in the plaque converts left over food particles in to acid and this can cause many gum problems like tooth ache, bleeding gums, tooth decay and even tooth loss. Gum problem in early stages is called as gingivitis and in advanced stage it is called periodontitis.

Gingivitis and Periodontitis:

The initial stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. Signs of gingivitis include swelling, bleeding from gums and bad breath. Periodontitis is the advanced stage of gum disease. Signs of periodontitis include pain when chewing, loose teeth and pus around the teeth.

Causes of gum disease

• Poor brushing: The main cause for gum diseases is improper brushing. Brush your teeth twice a day or after every meal. This does not require vigorous brushing. As doing so will damage your gum tissues that are sensitive. Make sure that you are brushing with soft bristled toothbrush. Brush for at least two minutes by gently moving your toothbrush in a circular motion.

• Poor flossing: Brushing your teeth removes much of the plaque and the remaining will be removed by flossing the teeth. Flossing completes your dental cleaning process. By flossing you are able to clean the left over tiny food particles that are struck in between the teeth and where your toothbrush can’t reach. This can help you prevent built up of plaque which is the main cause for gum diseases.

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  Crunching hard food: Crunching hard food like ice can actually fracture your teeth because of its hard texture and cold temperature or can cause cracks in your teeth that are only visible through a microscope. Many people try cracking nuts by their teeth that can put a lot of stress on their teeth and there are chances of teeth getting fractured. This can lead to gum problems in future.

• Grinding teeth: Some people have the habit of grinding teeth, especially during sleep. Teeth grinding occasionally is not harmful, but if done regularly it can cause damage to your teeth which will further lead to more complicated dental problems.

• Smoking: Smoking is one of the factors that causes gum problems. There are chances of developing periodontal disease that requires to be treated soon. Many smokers tend to lose teeth if the problem is left untreated.

• Diet: The main reason for gum diseases can be unhealthy diet. Unhealthy diet includes excess sugar intake, soda drinks, candies, chocolates, etc. Eating too many sweets can damage your teeth that can cause tooth decay. As the bacteria in the mouth reacts with the sugar in the food and forms acid. Teeth are attacked by this acid thereby dissolving outer layers of teeth, thus the enamel and the dentin are softened by the acid attack that leads to cavity. Alcohol can also be one of the major causes for gum and teeth problems. Alcohol dissolves the enamel of the teeth thereby reducing saliva and making your mouth dry.

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