Providing effective dental care, contrary to popular opinion, comes down to much more than just brushing your teeth every day. As a matter of fact, your oral health is affected by more than just your teeth, and a thorough preventive dental routine should take these other factors into account. Indeed, your teeth are important to keep clean and healthy, but that does not mean you should ignore the health of your other oral structures in the process. In today’s blog, your Kansas City, MO dentist takes a look at the importance of considering gum health, as well as how infections impact your health through various stages.

Starting with Gingivitis

By now, you are likely familiar with the preventive dental process. To recap, preventive dentistry is any process that aims to prevent infection from settling into your smile, boost your natural defense’s strength, and overall prioritize your structures as a whole. Though you may have the natural defense of enamel to protect your teeth, it is far from indestructible.

When taking a look at periodontal or gum concerns, in particular, infection and disease are the top offenders. As oral bacteria are drawn to the areas between the teeth and the gums, they can nestle and wreak havoc, staying safe from your preventive efforts.

In its earliest stages, gum disease may present as gingivitis. This is the initial stage of infection, and is characterized by sensitive and swollen gum tissues. Not only does this lead to discomfort, but it will only get worse the longer you wait to seek treatment. To learn more about this process and what you can do on your end to keep your gums safe, give our team a call today.

The Four Stages of Periodontitis

While gingivitis may be the least severe and can be reversed, periodontitis is more destructive and incurable. There are four stages of periodontitis, consisting of the initial stage, the moderate stage, the severe stage with a potential for tooth loss, and the severe stage with potential for loss of all teeth.

In order to keep your structures healthy and avoid any of these stages, the number one thing you can do is practice flossing on a daily basis. As food particles become stuck between structures, they become a breeding ground for oral bacteria. Contact our team to learn more today.

Avoiding Premature Tooth Loss

As we briefly introduced, leaving periodontitis untreated will inevitably lead to premature tooth loss. The last thing you want is to lose even one permanent tooth, and unfortunately, this is a very likely possibility when experiencing a gum infection such as periodontitis.

Schedule Your Appointment

To learn more about the importance of caring for your gum tissues, contact Delightful Dental Care in Kansas City, MO by calling 816-942-7669 and schedule your next appointment with a member of our team today.