Good oral health is about more than a beautiful smile; it’s about taking care of your overall health, too. Gum health in particular plays an important role in your body’s immune system response. Gums that are inflamed or infected can put your body’s immune system into overdrive and cause a cascade of follow-on effects that compromises nearly every bodily function.
Healthy gums support and anchor the teeth in the jawbone, providing a strong foundation for healthy tooth roots while also protecting them from harmful bacteria and infection. Gums also protect the underlying bone and connective tissue that keeps your jaw and facial structure strong and healthy. Poor gum health can degrade the sensitive tissue in the gums, leading to pain, redness, swelling, and even infection. Left untreated, the infection can travel far beyond the mouth and into the bloodstream, lungs, heart, and brain.
Good gum health often translates to good overall health and vice versa, which is why Dental Depot of Arizona is dedicated to educating our patients on the importance of gum and oral health and providing them with the comprehensive dental care services they need to achieve their best health. From regular cleanings, oral exams, and preventive treatments to restorations like root canals, periodontal therapy, and tooth replacement, Dental Depot of Arizona is your partner for a smile that’s healthy from the inside out.
Your mouth is full of bacteria. Anywhere from six to 20 billion bacteria from about 700 unique families populate the mouth, and while not all of them are harmful, many are. If you aren’t brushing and flossing daily or visiting the dentist regularly for a professional cleaning, harmful bacteria will begin to multiply quickly and start producing acidic waste called plaque, starting in motion a domino effect that can gradually erode your gums.
Plaque is the sticky substance that collects on teeth, and it’s made from bacteria and their byproducts. If it isn’t cleaned well from your teeth, it will start to harden until it becomes tartar, which can no longer be brushed away.
Tartar irritates the gums, which can cause them to swell and become inflamed. This is a sign of gingivitis, the start of the inflammatory process that defines gum disease.
If it isn’t treated early, the inflammation from gingivitis gradually becomes more severe until it starts to cause damage via infection and tissue deterioration. As periodontitis worsens without treatment, the gum tissues will start to break down due to the lingering inflammation and infection, causing them to recede. They’ll become thin and weak, and they’ll likely bleed (sometimes heavily).
Underneath the gum tissue are the ligaments that hold the teeth in place. When the inflammation and infection from periodontitis reaches these ligaments, it will start to destroy them until they can no longer properly support your teeth. The gums will continue to pull away and teeth will feel loose in their sockets. Eventually, the teeth will become so loose they simply fall out.
Gingivitis and gum inflammation can be effectively treated in their early stages, before infection has set in to the oral tissues, and protecting your gum health at the first sign of trouble can help you avoid more serious oral conditions later. However, taking care of your gums isn’t just important for your oral health; the health of your gums can have an impact on the health of your entire body.
Inflammation is an immune response. In other words, inflammation happens when your body is trying to fight invaders—in the case of gingivitis or periodontal disease, these invaders are the bacteria that are infecting the gum tissue. As a result of the infection, your gums become inflamed, triggering your immune response to react not just in your mouth, but throughout the body.
Neither gingivitis or periodontal disease will go away on their own. If left untreated over time, this constant state of low-level immune activity can put significant strain on your whole body, and chronic inflammation is linked with some of the biggest drivers of mortality, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. By reducing inflammation in your mouth, you’re helping your other bodily systems function properly and stay healthy.
Other broader health side effects of gingivitis or periodontal disease can arise due to the oral bacteria themselves. If these bacteria enter the bloodstream through damaged gum tissue, they can cause problems anywhere from the brain to the heart and lungs. In fact, emerging studies are even showing that incurable conditions such as Alzheimer’s may be linked to oral bacteria that have entered into spaces they don’t belong, so when you invest in good oral health, you’re investing in your long-term well-being, too.
If left untreated, periodontal disease will eventually lead to tooth loss, and if those lost teeth aren’t replaced, the jawbone will start to atrophy, deteriorate, and collapse. This bone atrophy can cause changes in your facial structure and make you more susceptible to fractures in your jaw and other facial bones.
Gum health is especially important for pregnant people. While everyone should maintain a baseline of care for their teeth and gums, including regular brushing and dental visits, people who are pregnant need to go a step further.
Pregnancy gingivitis is a subtype of gum disease that specifically arises in pregnant people due to changing and fluctuating hormones. When estrogen and progesterone increase, they can also increase inflammation in the gum tissues, leading to temporary gingivitis where none existed before. Moreover, untreated periodontitis has been linked to complications like low birth weight and premature birth.
If you are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant, talk with your dental provider about creating a plan to manage potential gum disease during pregnancy so that it doesn’t establish a foothold. With good oral care, any gingivitis that may develop during pregnancy will likely disappear post-delivery.
Gum inflammation and infection, whether from gingivitis or its more advanced form of periodontitis, can have a significant impact not just on your mouth, but on your entire body. The good news is that gingivitis is preventable, and if you’re currently in the beginning stages, it’s highly treatable.
Here are 8 things you can do to lower your risk of developing gum disease and improve your overall health:
Your dentist can help you explore strategies for keeping gum disease at bay that are specific to your mouth and oral health. At Dental Depot, we are always excited to educate our patients on easy things they can add to their routines that make a big difference! Whether you want to get ahead of gum disease or you want to treat gum inflammation before it gets worse, the best time to see the dentist is now.
At Dental Depot of Arizona, achieving your best oral and overall health takes a team effort. That’s why we’re committed to making all the dental care services you and your family need for great gum health convenient, accessible, and affordable. From multiple locations in and around the Phoenix area to a variety of payment options and the ability to schedule your whole family at one time, Dental Depot of Arizona delivers quality, comprehensive care that fits both your budget and your busy schedule.
Don’t wait for small oral health problems to become big ones; take the time today to take care of your gums and teeth and schedule an appointment at the Dental Depot of Arizona location nearest you!
