For some people, the fight against periodontal disease and the negative effects it can have on their oral health is an ongoing one. When the disease reaches a certain point in its earlier stages, it can become a permanent concern to the state of your periodontal and oral health. Much like preventing periodontal disease, maintaining your smile and fighting periodontal disease relies largely on sticking to a good dental hygiene routine, as well as consistent care from your periodontal specialist.

Where periodontal disease starts

Periodontal disease is often referred to as gum disease because it develops in the gums (or periodontal tissues) that surround your teeth. The first stage of the disease is known as gingivitis, and describes an infection caused by specific, harmful types of oral bacteria. These bacteria accumulate along your gum line every day, and can infect the tissues enough to cause noticeable irritation and inflammation. When they make underneath the tissues and form plaque on your teeth roots, good dental hygiene at home may no longer be enough to stop gum disease from forming and progressing.

What good hygiene really means

Good dental hygiene isn’t just the practice of brushing and flossing your teeth, but the discipline to do it consistently every day, without exception. This is because oral bacteria are a consistent threat, and they don’t stop accumulating and forming dental plaque on your teeth’s surfaces. For the purpose of preventing periodontal disease, it’s especially important to consistently clean the bacteria from your gum line and prevent it from accumulating. You may also benefit from adding antibacterial mouthwash to your hygiene routine to more effectively fight the bacteria that cause gingivitis.

Why it’s important to prevent periodontal disease

One of the most significant concerns about developing periodontal disease is the fact that, in its severe stages, it’s the most frequent cause of adult tooth loss. The destruction it causes to your gums and the jawbone structure that make up your dental ridge can diminish the support around one or more of your teeth, depending on how severe it’s allowed to progress. This makes preventing periodontal disease, or taking steps to fight it as early as possible, particularly important to preserving your long-term oral health.

Improve your periodontal health and hygiene

A good and consistent hygiene routine is the foundation of protecting and preserving your good periodontal health. For more information, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kania by calling her periodontal office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.