If you don’t schedule regular visits with your Houston dentist, then you are doing yourself a disservice. More specifically, you are doing your teeth and gums a disservice.
Not maintaining and having your oral health checked regularly is the best way to develop periodontal disease. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, approximately 80 percent of Americans suffer from some sort of periodontal disease, some have worse cases than others.
“A lot of patients don’t even realize that periodontal disease is such a big issue,” says Ashley Jenkins, dental hygienist at Cosmetic Dentists of Houston. “A lot of people don’t even realize they have it until they come in for exam.”
This is a rather frightening thought, but should also be an incentive to undergo an oral exam at the dentist’s office. If you don’t know you have periodontal disease, then there is no way to know how to make adjustments to your daily oral routine. It may be simple adjustments that can begin to stop the diminishment of the bones along the gum lines.
Jenkins further warns that periodontal disease can’t be cured or reversed because bones that have been diminished, won’t grow back to their original size.
One common problem concerning periodontal disease is the misconception that bleeding gums, when conducting home care, is normal. This is not the case, and is a sign that your infection is very active.
The quickest way to bring the infection to an end is to schedule an appointment with us and let our dentists and dental hygienist assess your oral health. From there we will be able to address certain oral health issues and inform you how to ensure the infection doesn’t worsen.
Brushing, flossing, and rinsing are ideal ways to prevent periodontal disease, but if you are like many, who didn’t start caring for their teeth until problems started begin, then it would be wise to schedule an appointment soon.
If you are wondering if you or one of your family members may have periodontal disease, schedule an appointment with us at Cosmetic Dentists of Houston at 713-622-1977.
