All gum disease is caused by plaque. Plaque is a film of bacteria that forms on the surface of the teeth every day. Many of the bacteria in plaque are completely harmless, but some are the main cause of gum disease. To prevent and treat gum disease, you need to make sure you remove all the plaque from your teeth every day. This is done by brushing and flossing
In recent years gum disease has been linked with general health conditions such as diabetes, strokes, cardiovascular disease. More research is needed to understand how these links work but there is more and more evidence that having a healthy mouth and gums can help improve your general health and reduce the costs of medical treatment
Smoking can also make gum disease worse. The gums are affected because smoking causes a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream, so the infected gums don’t heal. Gum disease is still a major cause of tooth loss in adults
Your dental team will remove all plaque and tartar from your teeth. You will also be shown how to remove plaque successfully yourself, cleaning all the surfaces of your teeth thoroughly and effectively. This may take several sessions with the dental team. A good oral care routine at home with brushing and interdental cleaning is the most important thing you can do to help prevent gum disease from getting worse
