What is it?
A condition of the gums that causes them to become inflamed, resulting in the loosening and eventual loss of teeth.
Three-quarters of those over the age of 35 have gum disease, at least to some degree, and nearly half of all 60-year-olds have lost teeth as a result of it. Tooth decay is what wrecks children’s teeth but in adults gum disease is to blame.
What causes it?
Gum disease, like dental caries, is caused by a bacterial coating of plaque. This collects all the time along the gum line and, if it is not removed once a day, builds up to produce inflammation of the gums. Gums that are affected in this way bleed on brushing (healthy gums never bleed) and start to recede, making the teeth look longer. The fibres that tether the teeth into the jawbone weaken and eventually the affected tooth falls out.
The problem with gum disease is that you often do not even realize you have it until you start to notice bad breath, bleeding gums or loose teeth. Treatment is uncomfortable and time-consuming.
There is one specific cause of gum disease:
• Poor, or insufficient, cleaning of the teeth. Plaque has to be removed at least once a day if it is not to build up and cause gum disease.
Other contributory causes are:
• A lack of vitamin C. There is evidence that this vitamin protects against gum infections but no one knows why. Certainly vitamin Ñ is known to play a vital role in combating infection generally but it seems to be exceptionally valuable in gum disease.
• Certain foods produce a transitory inflammation of the gums which can be very painful indeed. These are usually nitrate-containing foods (preserved meats and other meats that have large amounts of preservative in them). The condition is self-limiting when you stop eating the foods.
• Stress. Some people have serious gum inflammation at a time of high stress in their lives. Drugs and oral surgery can cure the condition but obviously prevention is better.
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