How Common is Gum Disease and Should We Care?

Most adults in theUK have gum disease at some stage in their life and many experience it more than once. Gum disease has even been linked to heart disease and diabetes, so should we care about our oral hygiene?

Typical symptoms of gum disease include swelling or soreness, yourgums may bleed whenyou brush your teeth and you may also suffer from bad breath. The early stage of gum disease is known as gingivitis, but more seriously, if gingivitis isn’t treated, periodontitis (inflammation of the tissue around the teeth) can develop and this is the beginnings of tooth loss because the tissues that support teeth andhold them in place are infected.

So what causes gum disease? It is caused by a build-up of a sticky substance that contains bacteria, which is called plaque.

Preventing gum disease

With ‘prevention always better than cure’, pre-empting the build-up of harmful bacteria on your gums is the best course of action with regular brushing, at least twice a day, plus regular flossing. Make sure you also attend regular dental appointments and your dentist or dental hygienist will be able to give your teeth a thorough clean and remove any hardened plaque, known as tartar. They’ll also be able to show you how to clean your teeth effectively to help prevent plaque building up in the future.

To make it even easier to plan and afford regular check-ups, Smile Design Dental, now under the ownership of Dr Himesh Tailor, have launched a range of new private membership plan options, starting from only £18.83 per month and you can choose 1 or 2 dental health exams per year plus either 2 or 4 hygiene visits per year. There’s also a private children’s plan at £9 per month and a family plan available.

To find out more about preventing gum disease and the membership plans on offer call the friendly team at Smile Design Dental on 01296 624 163 or go to www.smiledesigndental.co.uk.