Healthy Gums Makes a Good New Year’s Resolution

Most New Year’s resolutions involve getting healthier, saving money or perhaps quitting a bad habit such as smoking, so it might seem a bit strange to resolve to have healthy gums next year. But a periodontal evaluation in Midtown Manhattan could be one of the best things you could do for not only your dental health, but also your general health and it could save you money in medical bills in the longer term.

Why Healthy Gums Matter

When imagining a healthy mouth, many people think of strong, white and healthy teeth, completely overlooking the fact that these teeth are supported by the gums. It doesn’t matter how good your teeth look if they aren’t supported properly by healthy and strong gums. Ideally, gums fit quite snugly around the teeth, sealing out bacteria in the mouth, preventing damage to the ligaments attached to your teeth and which secure them in the bony sockets. When gum disease (gum disease signs and symptoms) becomes sufficiently well advanced, mouth bacteria also have the potential to destroy bone surrounding your teeth.

What Should Healthy Gums Look like?

Healthy gums should be a nice, pale pink color, will be firm to touch and won’t bleed when you brush or floss (Read also: Gums Bleed When You Brush Teeth?). If you notice your gums are looking puffy or red, are perhaps swollen or bleed frequently when you brush then it’s possible you could have gum disease and this is where a yearly periodontal evaluation with a good periodontist such as Dr. Navid Rahmani can be invaluable. By having regular evaluations, you’ll be ensuring your gums are healthy and strong, supporting and protecting your teeth. The great thing about seeing a periodontist is that you can be sure you’ll be getting the highest quality examination and if you do need any treatment then it will be the most up-to-date and effective available today.

How Do Healthy Gums Help Protect My General Health?

These days there is an increasing amount of evidence showing strong links between healthy gums and a healthy body. In cases where people have advanced gum disease or periodontal disease, it’s been found they can be more at risk of developing serious health conditions, or if they already have health problems then gum disease can make it worse. While the exact links between gum health and general health aren’t quite known yet, there have been a sufficient number of clinical studies to show that healthy gums are important. One of the best investigated links is between gum health and diabetes as diabetics often have gum problems.

Bleeding Gums and Diabetes

When you have advanced gum disease, your gums often bleed frequently when brushed and these wounds are the perfect entry point for mouth bacteria to get into your bloodstream. Periodontal disease is an inflammatory condition (Read also: Periodontal Conditions Prevention) and these bacteria can then travel freely around your body creating new sites of inflammation. Diabetes is also an inflammatory disease and the presence of periodontal disease can make blood sugar levels harder to control. This is especially bad news for diabetics as poorly controlled blood sugar levels increase the amount of glucose in saliva, providing even more fuel for mouth bacteria.

If you even suspect you might have problems with your gums then now is a good time to contact Manhattan Periodontics & Implant Surgery to book that evaluation.

 

In: General Periodontal Topics

Tags: gum disease, healthy gums, Laser dentistry in ny, periodontal disease treatment, periodontal treatment in nyc