Healthy Gums – Healthy you!

Taking care of your teeth and gums, is not only important for dental hygiene and
aesthetical reasons, but also for reducing gum disease and other related diseases,
that can be enhanced by having a poor dental health routine.

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, causes infections and inflammations
in the mouth, attacking the tissue supporting your teeth, gums and other areas in
your mouth. If left untreated, this can lead to losing all your teeth, causing your
gum line to recede – and in the worst case scenario, the only real solution would
be having dental implants with a denture fitted and perhaps a soft tissue graft as well.

Gingivitis, a type of periodontal disease is caused by the build up of plaque over
a long period of time, with the main culprit being a poor dental health regime.
Plaque is caused by the build up of food debris, bacteria and mucus on the teeth.
During your normal dental hygiene routine of brushing twice a day (2 mins minimum)
and flossing frequently the plaque should be removed. If however, the plaque is
not removed, over time it will start to form into a hard substance known as “tartar”.
Both plaque and tartar will produce toxins that attack and damage the gums, often
enflaming and irritating them.

Your general health and wellbeing can also play a part in developing Gingivitis.
If you are consistently unwell on a regular basis and have a weak immune system,
it is even more important for you to try and lead a healthier lifestyle, through
eating healthier (fruits and vegetables), drinking more water and reducing your
alcohol/coffee/sugary drinks intake, as well as exercising more.

How does my dental health affect my general health?

Not only can your general health have an effect on developing gingivitis, but gingivitis
can also have a reverse effect on your general health, by increasing the chances
of developing cardiology disease.

One of the major factors for heart disease is due to inflammation in the body, and
by having a periodontal disease, it can lead to an increased inflammation throughout
the body, thus raising your chances of developing a heart disease.

Top 5 tips on reducing periodontal and cardiology disease

These are my top 5 tips on reducing periodontal and cardiology disease:

1. Maintain a regular healthy dental regime
   1. Brush thoroughly twice daily – 2 mins per time (do not brush excessively/too hard
      as this can cause an irritation of the gums)
   2. Floss frequently (again not to excessively/too hard as this can make your gums bleed)
2. Drink your daily recommended allowance of water (6-8 medium glasses)
   1. Reduce your intake of sugary/alcoholic/caffeinated drinks
3. Eat healthy – Maintain a balanced diet – 3 meals a day (do not skip meals and snack
   in between meals)
   1. Fruit, vegetable, protein (lean meats), fish
   2. If you need to snack, replace unhealthy snacks with fruit
   3. Try not to eat anything after 8pm – as you do not have enough time to burn off excess calories before you go to sleep
4. Regular exercise
   1. Go for long walks/jogging/running
   2. Cardiovascular machines
   3. Gym/dance classes
5. 8 Hours sleep a night

Your dental health and general health are intrinsically linked and both are very important to your overall wellbeing.

This article has been contributed by Dr Gursh Bajwa, a highly trained and commended orthodontic dentist in Solihull, Birmingham. Please visit his practice’s site www.onedentalclinic.co.uk