Alternatively known as gum disease, periodontal disease is the infection of the tissues and bone around the tooth.  It is one of the most common medical and dental conditions, suffered by about 1/3 of adults every year.  If left untreated, it can lead to tooth decay and eventually, teeth loss.  It could also lead to other serious ailments, such as renal failure, heart disease and stroke.  But as prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the cliché goes, knowing what causes gum disease can help you steer clear of periodontal disease and its devastating effects on your oral and physical health.

So how does one get periodontal disease?  There are a lot of factors contributing to the development of periodontal disease, but plaque build-up tops the list.  Plaque is the sticky white film which forms on your teeth and the crevices between your gums and teeth.  This substance comes from the food we eat and provide a perfect environment for bacteria to flourish and wreak havoc on your teeth and gums.  Regular flossing and brushing can lessen, if not totally eliminate the chances of plaque build-up.  Otherwise, plaque build-up will harden up and develop into “calculus” or “tartar”, wreaking more havoc in your oral cavity.

“Tartar” is the calcified version of plaque.  This provides an even better environment for bacteria to thrive in.  This build-up will lead to serious dental conditions, such as periodontitis if not treated right away.  However, brushing and flossing alone will not be able to remove tartar build-up.  Depending on the severity of the tartar buildup, it may require professional cleaning such as root scaling and planing to remove the tartar build-up which has developed on your teeth and the gaps between the gum cavity and the teeth.  These are often expensive procedures which could be prevented with regular brushing and flossing.

If you do not want to spend extra on expensive periodontal disease treatment and procedures, you must maintain good oral hygiene practices.  Regular brushing and flossing can prevent plaque and tartar build-up, but you also need to complement it with an alcohol-free, antibacterial mouthwash to remove the germs left behind by brushing and flossing.  Your diet, too, can help prevent periodontal diseases.  Cutting back on sugar can help reduce plaque and tartar build-up as bacteria thrive on sugar.  Eating food rich in calcium, vitamin C and other minerals can strengthen your teeth and gums, thus impeding tooth and gum decay.  Lastly, it is also important to take regular trips to the dentist for professional cleaning and check-ups to keep plaque and tartar build-up at bay and steer you away from the devastating effects of periodontal disease.