It’s Gum Care Month

September is Gum Care Month and at Stoneridge Dental we want all of our Gilbert, Arizona patients to avoid gum disease! So here are some facts about your gums that you may not know!

  1. Gums should not bleed! Many people think that bleeding gums are normal. Some people think that brushing or flossing is the cause of their bleeding gums, so they avoid brushing and flossing. Bleeding gums is a sign of bacterial infection causing inflammation or swelling of the gum tissue. Brushing and flossing remove the bacteria and allow the gums to heal.

    Think of an infected cut on your arm. If you washed it and it started to bleed you would not think it was normal, and you would clean it more often to ensure the infection cleared up. We need to treat our mouths like any other part of our body. If any other part of your body began to bleed when you washed it, you would be concerned. You need to have that same concern for your mouth.
  1. Bleeding gums can be a sign of periodontal disease, which is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Bacterial infection in your gums can spread to the jaw and cause the bone that holds your teeth in your jaw to dissolve. This irreversible bone loss will lead to the roots of your teeth losing support and getting loose and falling out. Nearly 1 in 5 seniors have lost all their natural teeth and gum disease is the #1 contributing factor.
  1. Gum disease can affect your overall health. There are links between gum disease, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. People with gum disease are twice as likely to have heart disease and strokes. The connection is oral bacteria from the mouth that enters the bloodstream. Chronic inflammation in the mouth from gum disease also spread dot the blood vessels in other parts of the body causing a reduced blood flow and an increase in the risk of clots leading to strokes. Research has shown that serious gum disease and diabetes are a circular relationship. Not only are people with diabetes more susceptible to serious gum disease, but serious gum disease may make diabetes worse.
  1. Gum disease occurs more often in men. This may be because men are less likely to go to the dentist and have a higher rate of dental plaque, tartar, and bleeding. Men with gum disease have a higher risk for certain kinds of cancer. Women with gum disease have a 14% overall increased risk for breast cancer compared to women without gum disease.

If you are in the East Valley of Phoenix Arizona and would like to get your gums and teeth healthy, schedule an appointment at Stoneridge Dental today!

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