Did you know that approximately 7 out of 10 people living in Canada will end up with gum disease at least once in their life? This is an alarming amount of people, but after looking at the numbers one would assume it’s clearly not that serious of an issue if so many people get it. 

This is far from the truth, however— in actuality, gum disease can have a serious effect on one’s oral health both short term and long term. To learn about how to prevent this issue from happening, check out the information we here at Weston Dental Office would like to provide our readers below. 

What To Know About Periodontal Disease 

In the early stages, gum disease begins as a condition known as gingivitis. Since this is one of the first conditions a person gets before gum disease, many people have gingivitis without even knowing it (as it doesn’t present many symptoms, if any). 

When the disease starts to progress, however, the symptoms become more and more noticeable. In almost all cases, gum disease begins with an issue many of us bring onto ourselves: poor dental hygiene. 

While some people are genetically disposed to this type of oral condition, poor dental hygiene is usually the main culprit. The good news is that since this is the main cause of gum disease, maintaining good dental hygiene will almost always prevent you from getting it, regardless of whether or not you’re genetically predisposed to have it. 

Tartar & How It Affects Gum Disease 

When you begin to neglect proper dental care, a substance will begin to build on your teeth known as plaque. Plaque is often sticky in nature and coats the surface of your teeth. Luckily, this substance can be easily removed/cleaned with a toothbrush and some toothpaste. If this substance isn’t removed in a timely manner, however, it will turn into what is known as tartar.  

Tartar is the substance that transforms from having plaque on your teeth for too long. This substance is not easy to remove and sticky like plaque— tartar is extremely hard and impossible to properly remove with a toothbrush. When you develop this type of buildup on your gums, it is vital that you see a professional dentist to have it properly removed with a dental pick. When you don’t go and get this substance professionally removed, you put yourself at a much higher risk of developing gum disease. 

How To Prevent Periodontal Disease 

There are several different stages of gum disease, and it’s really important that you catch this issue as early as possible to prevent serious damage to your teeth + gums. If gum disease gets severe enough, it can cause tooth loss, halitosis and other serious oral health issues.   

As we have briefly mentioned, one of the best ways to ensure that you don’t get this disease/prevent it from getting worse is by maintaining a proper dental hygiene routine. This means brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day. While it can be easy to forget flossing (or ignore it due to its tediousness), it is vital that you do it as plaque and tartar will most commonly build up/get stuck in the gaps between your teeth. As good practice, always try to brush your teeth after a meal. After all, the time after having a meal is where the most bacteria will likely build up on your teeth. 

How Our Team Can Help 

If your periodontal disease has progressed quite far and you’re in need of more professional intervention, let our dental experts at Weston Dental Office help. For years, our team has done everything to help our patients live their life with the best teeth possible. At our clinic, we want people to feel confident with their smile. To learn more about our general dentistry in Toronto, be sure to call our front desk at 416-247-1928 today.