A growing outbreak of gum disease is tormenting adults all over the world. More than half of American’s past the age of 30 have suffered from the disease at one time or another. The consequences of gum disease can be quite serious. It can result in tooth loss, damage to the jaws, and has even been linked to heart disease. Aside from cancer, gum disease (gingivitis) is considered the most dangerous oral disease you can suffer from. That’s why we have put together this vital guide to preventing gum disease with 6 natural preventatives. Read on to find out more…
Disclaimer: The natural solutions offered here are not to be confused with or preferred to professional treatment from a qualified dental practitioner. If you suspect, you may have gum or teeth problems visit a dentist immediately.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is medically referred to as gingivitis, and is characterized as an inflammation in the soft tissue around our teeth. Symptoms include bleeding or redness in your gums, or swollen gums. Gum disease can often occur without being noticed by the patient, as symptoms are known to vary from person to person, just as the severity of the disease varies.
Gingivitis can itself develop into the more serious periodontitis, a type of gum disease that affects even the bone beneath the teeth. This leads to a horrible diminishing of gum tissue and jaw bone. The first sign of gum disease is usually bleeding from the gums following brushing or flossing, often accompanied by inflammation and pain.
Causes of Gum Disease
Usually, gum disease (gingivitis) is caused by poor oral hygiene and dental care, leading to plaque building up all over the gums and teeth. Plaque is a sticky layer that we can remove by brushing and flossing, but, if we don’t, it can harden into tartar and calculus. If plaque and tartar are allowed to build up, your gums can become irritated and infected with vicious bacteria, which leads to gingivitis, otherwise known as gum disease.
Here are some of the most common causes of gum disease:
• Smoking
• Alcohol
• Stress-related immune disorders
• Teeth alignment/crowding
• Dryness
• Poor nutrition
• Hormonal imbalance
• Some medications
• Diabetes & other medical conditions
Dental Treatment for Gum Disease
If you are suffering from gum disease, some of the solutions your dentist might propose will include the following:
• Professional teeth cleaning: this is employed to expel plaque and the buildup of excess tartar.
• Scaling: is used to get rid of tartar which has collected both above and below the gum line.
• Root planning: can be utilized in order to remove parts of the tooth’s supporting tissue that is infected with disease. It is also used to smoothen rough spots.
• Laser treatment: The previous two methods can cause bleeding and pain, in which cases laser treatment is a safer option.
• Surgery: If the case is a serious one, your dentist will recommend surgery. They will either start lap surgery, in which the gum is pushed back to make plaque removal possible, before it is sutured back into location, or a bone and tissue graft, in which damaged parts of teeth and jaw are replaced.
These medical treatments are really quite stressful. Therefore, it’s important you do your best to avoid such drastic measures as listed above by maintaining good oral hygiene. Also, the following natural preventatives will help to make sure you keep gum disease at bay.
Here are 6 natural solutions for staving off gum disease:
1. Oil pulling
To get rid of toxins, inflammation and plaque buildup in the gums and teeth, try this ancient Indian method. Using either organic coconut, sesame or olive oil, take a tablespoon and swish it around your mouth for an extended period of time (several minutes).
You can purchase aloe vera in gel form, which it’s possible to apply to your red, inflamed and swollen gums in order to soothe them. It would be even better if you could acquire aloe vera directly from the plant, to obtain the greatest possible health benefits.
3. Sage decoction
Sage makes an amazing antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory mouthwash you can gargle with many times during the day (it also makes a great tea). All you need to do is boil up 50 fresh sage leaves in some distilled water.
4. Neem products
Neem has many wonderful health benefits, but it’s particularly known for its antimicrobial and antifungal properties that can make a difference when fighting gum disease. You can also use neem as a mouthwash, toothpaste or gel to improve your overall dental health.
5. Mustard oil
Mustard oil, as well as having anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties, provides pain relief, making it a perfect natural tool for fighting off gum disease with.
6. Fresh fruit & veg
You won’t be shocked to learn that eating healthily is good for fighting gum disease, since it’s pretty much good for your health in every respect. On the one hand, crunchy fruits and vegetables help maintain strong and clean teeth. On the other hand, such natural produce contains plenty of antioxidants that are excellent at promoting good oral health and keeping the buildup of plaque to a minimum.
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