All About Gum Disease Awareness Month

February is most famous for being the month when love is in the air. Special dates are planned, and lots of flowers and Valentine’s gifts are bought. Did you know that February is also Gum Disease Awareness Month? It may not be a romantic topic, but it’s an important one. As dental professionals, it’s crucial that we raise awareness for oral health issues like gum disease so that our community can continue to enjoy healthy, happy smiles.

Gum Disease 101

The first part of raising awareness about gum disease is explaining what it actually is. Also called periodontal disease or periodontitis, gum disease is when you have an infection in your gums. This infection can cause a number of undesirable symptoms like bleeding, swollenness, pain, bad breath, loose teeth, and bone damage.

Left untreated, gum disease can develop from the less serious stage of gingivitis to a more severe case of periodontitis. How severe gum disease is will determine what kind of treatment you receive. For example, if your gum disease is still in its early stages, it’s possible a deep cleaning can solve the issue. We use an effective treatment called Arestin® to eliminate infection in gum pockets. If your gum disease is more advanced, you may need to get gum surgery.

How You Can Prevent Gum Disease

So what can you do to prevent gum disease? The easiest thing is maintaining a healthy dental routine. That involves brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and visiting the dentist for your semi annual checkups and cleanings. You can also minimize your risk of developing gum disease by eating a healthy diet, minimizing your alcohol consumption, and giving up smoking and chewing tobacco.

Keeping Your Gums Healthy in Southbridge, MA

If you have more questions about gum disease treatment or prevention, we invite you to reach out to us at Southbridge Dental Care. You can either call our Southbridge office directly or send us an email and a member of our team would be happy to help by answering your questions or setting you up with an appointment.

Contact Us