There’s more to maintaining good oral health than just taking care of your teeth; your gums need just as much attention. Failing to protect the soft tissues around the roots of your teeth can easily lead to gum disease, which can have all sorts of consequences in the long run. Below is a closer look at 5 important reasons why your gum health matters and why you need to be proactive about having gum disease treated as quickly as possible.
1. Healthy Gums Help Protect the Teeth
One of the most important functions of the gums is to protect the tooth roots. If you end up developing gum disease, it could cause the gum tissue to recede, thereby leaving the roots of the teeth exposed. Not only can this make your teeth significantly more sensitive to hot or cold foods, but it can also increase your risk for tooth decay. As such, maintaining healthy gums is essential if you want to keep your teeth safe.
2. Gum Disease is a Leading Cause of Tooth Loss
If gum disease is not treated in time, it can significantly damage the gums as well as the underlying bone tissue. As a result, your teeth may come loose, and it may be necessary to extract them for the sake of your oral health. If you want to keep your natural smile intact, then it’s in your best interest to take excellent care of your gums in order to minimize your risk for gum disease.
3. Gum Health and Heart Health are Connected
Research has found that individuals with gum disease tend to be at a greater risk of experiencing heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular issues. One possible explanation for this connection is that the bacteria responsible for gum disease can enter your bloodstream and cause inflammation in different parts of the body, including the blood vessels. For this reason, taking care of your gums can be considered an important step for protecting your heart health.
4. Your Gum Health May Affect Your Memory
One study published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry found that people with swollen gums tended to perform worse on memory tests compared to individuals with healthy gums. These findings suggest that the state of your gums could have an impact on your ability to remember things.
5. Gum Disease Can Lead to Additional Health Issues
Once gum disease reaches its more advanced stages, it becomes a chronic problem that won’t go away on its own. As the body continues to fight the infection, it can weaken the immune system over time. Consequently, you may be more likely to suffer from additional infections as well as various illnesses. In other words, failing to take care of your gums could have serious consequences for the rest of your body.
In short, there are plenty of reasons why maintaining healthy gums should be one of your top priorities. If you have any reason to think you might be suffering from gum disease, you should call your periodontist so that they can properly diagnose the problem and help you determine the best way to treat it.
About the Practice
At Handsman & Haddad Periodontics, our team is dedicated to helping patients in Worcester protect their smiles through expert periodontal care that puts comfort first. We offer a number of solutions for gum disease, including thorough scaling and root planing. As soon as you realize that you’re having problems with your gum health, visit our website or call us at (508) 753-5444 to schedule your appointment with our team.
