What Causes Gum Disease in Bay Shore?

Thanks to emerging studies, we now understand that periodontal health affects our overall health and well being, which means there’s never been a better time to understand and take charge of your oral health. Emerging studies show that periodontal (gum) disease contributes to other serious health concerns in the body such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and vice versa.

Your trusted team at East Islip Dental Care wants to help you effectively manage and even prevent gum disease, which in turn promotes good overall health and well-being. Here we’ll discuss some of the causes of gum disease in Bay Shore.

What is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is essentially an infection of the soft tissues and bone that support your teeth. It occurs when excessive plaque buildup separates your gums from your teeth and allows harmful bacteria to attack your gums and bone. It can be hard to detect at first because there aren’t many symptoms and it moves gradually, however if left untreated, the infection will eventually destroy your soft tissue and bone, eliminating the support system for your teeth.

The Causes of Gum Disease

There are many factors that contribute to your risk for gum disease. Here are a few to consider:

• Genetics and family history
• Crooked or misaligned teeth
• Cigarette or tobacco use
• Certain medications
• Clenching and grinding teeth
• Poor nutrition
• Poor oral hygiene

It can be a combination of one or more of these factors that causes your condition, however being proactive about your oral health and regular dental visits can help you prevent gum disease from happening in the first place even if you’re at a higher risk for it.

Prevention

When you come for your regular cleanings and checkups, our hygienists not only remove the excessive plaque that causes gum disease, our doctors also screen you for it. Believe it or not, they can detect it (gingivitis) much earlier than you can, which means you may be able to effectively control it with much less invasive therapies.

For those suffering from more severe gum disease (periodontitis), our highly skilled team is well equipped to help you. We can perform a deeper cleaning to remove plaque and tartar buildup from below your gum line that will get you back on the path to wellness again.

We encourage you to contact East Islip Dental Care to learn more about how periodontal disease affects your overall health and to schedule your next appointment.