This two-part article series presents some pretty scary facts about a common disease many Arizona residents have, but don’t even know it: gum disease.
Chances are you’ve heard of gum disease, whether it’s from your dentist, the warnings on the back of a packet of cigarettes or from a friend or relative who’s received a diagnosis for it. And while you may be aware that gum disease makes your teeth rot, your breath smell and your smile look positively awful, most Arizona residents know little else about the disease that’s ravaging the state’s oral health.
That all changes in this two-part article series, in which an experienced gum disease specialist explains six really important facts we didn’t know – but should know – about gum disease. Let’s begin!
Fact # 1: 8 Out of 10 Arizona residents have gum disease
This may sound like an exaggeration - after all, you wouldn’t say the majority of the people you share your life with have rotten teeth! But according to the Center for Disease control, as much as 80% of the population suffers from some degree or stage of gum disease. This is a shocking statistic that really brings home how staggering our neglect for good oral hygiene and routine preventative care is.
“If your gums bleed when you brush or floss them and if they’re red and swollen, as opposed to pink and firm, then you may have gum disease,” explains a treatment specialist in Arizona. “You may not have full blown gum disease, but you may certainly be suffering from the beginning stages known as gingivitis. It’s not normal for gums to bleed when you brush or floss them: that’s a sign of infection.”
Fact # 2: Gingivitis marks the beginning stages of gum disease
Many toothpaste ads boast their ability to fight the germs that lead to gingivitis, so the word means something to most Arizona residents. But did you know that gingivitis is actually the beginning stages of gum disease and is marked by a bacterial infection of the gums surrounding the teeth?
“Gingivitis is an infection of the gums caused by prolific bacterial activity, which is typically brought on by a lack of oral hygiene and routine professional healthcare,” says a gum disease treatment expert. “Frequent and thorough brushing and flossing and twice-yearly visits to the dentist are crucial for preventing the progression of gingivitis to full-blown gum disease, at which stage it becomes known as periodontitis.”
Fact # 3: Gum disease can cause you to lose ALL of your teeth
Most Arizona resident who have lost all of their teeth and who now wear dentures, had to have their natural teeth extracted because they had gum disease, which they ignored for many years.
“This is not a condition that goes away on its own,” says a gum disease specialist. “You’ve got to receive professional care and you’ve got to change your oral hygiene habits and lifestyle.”
The message is simple: if you don’t receive prompt gum disease treatment, you WILL ultimately lose all of your teeth!
Stay Tuned for Part 2
To find out more shocking facts on gum disease, stay tuned for the second half of this four-part article series.
Chances are you’ve heard of gum disease, whether it’s from your dentist, the warnings on the back of a packet of cigarettes or from a friend or relative who’s received a diagnosis for it. And while you may be aware that gum disease makes your teeth rot, your breath smell and your smile look positively awful, most Arizona residents know little else about the disease that’s ravaging the state’s oral health.
That all changes in this two-part article series, in which an experienced gum disease specialist explains six really important facts we didn’t know – but should know – about gum disease. Let’s begin!
Fact # 1: 8 Out of 10 Arizona residents have gum disease
This may sound like an exaggeration - after all, you wouldn’t say the majority of the people you share your life with have rotten teeth! But according to the Center for Disease control, as much as 80% of the population suffers from some degree or stage of gum disease. This is a shocking statistic that really brings home how staggering our neglect for good oral hygiene and routine preventative care is.
“If your gums bleed when you brush or floss them and if they’re red and swollen, as opposed to pink and firm, then you may have gum disease,” explains a treatment specialist in Arizona. “You may not have full blown gum disease, but you may certainly be suffering from the beginning stages known as gingivitis. It’s not normal for gums to bleed when you brush or floss them: that’s a sign of infection.”
Fact # 2: Gingivitis marks the beginning stages of gum disease
Many toothpaste ads boast their ability to fight the germs that lead to gingivitis, so the word means something to most Arizona residents. But did you know that gingivitis is actually the beginning stages of gum disease and is marked by a bacterial infection of the gums surrounding the teeth?
“Gingivitis is an infection of the gums caused by prolific bacterial activity, which is typically brought on by a lack of oral hygiene and routine professional healthcare,” says a gum disease treatment expert. “Frequent and thorough brushing and flossing and twice-yearly visits to the dentist are crucial for preventing the progression of gingivitis to full-blown gum disease, at which stage it becomes known as periodontitis.”
Fact # 3: Gum disease can cause you to lose ALL of your teeth
Most Arizona resident who have lost all of their teeth and who now wear dentures, had to have their natural teeth extracted because they had gum disease, which they ignored for many years.
“This is not a condition that goes away on its own,” says a gum disease specialist. “You’ve got to receive professional care and you’ve got to change your oral hygiene habits and lifestyle.”
The message is simple: if you don’t receive prompt gum disease treatment, you WILL ultimately lose all of your teeth!
Stay Tuned for Part 2
To find out more shocking facts on gum disease, stay tuned for the second half of this four-part article series.
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