The Link Between Gum Care and Your Teeth
Did you know that September is Gum Care Awareness Month? While many people don’t think that gum care is important enough to warrant an entire awareness month, to your endodontist, caring for your gums and ensuring that they are healthy is an important element of maintaining your overall health. Failing to take care of your gums can cause you to develop periodontal disease, which is commonly referred to as gum disease. Gum disease is the primary cause of tooth loss in American adults who are over the age of 35. Seeing an endodontist in Long Island will help you to make sure that your teeth and gums remain healthy!
If you are looking for someone to help you care for your smile in Long Island, contact our team to book an appointment with us today.
What Is Gum Disease?
Periodontitis (also known as gum disease) happens when the bacteria present in food particles sticks to the teeth. The bacteria then turns into plaque. If left on the teeth, plaque will harden on the teeth to form a substance called tartar. Tartar causes irritation to the gum tissues. Ignoring plaque and gum tissue will eventually lead to serious conditions such as periodontitis. This occurs when tartar buildup leads to a serious infection in your gums. When left untreated, this can cause tooth loss, as well as the deterioration of the jaw bone. In addition to causing tooth and bone loss, untreated gum disease can also cause serious problems with your overall physical health by leading to chronic and sometimes fatal health issues.
Can You Tell Me About Pulpitis?
Pulpitis is an infection that is located within the pulp of your tooth. Tooth pulp is comprised of blood vessels, connective tissues, and nerves. Cavities penetrating the tooth’s enamel are the primary cause of pulpitis. However, this type of infection can also occur when the blood flow leading to the pulp tissue of your tooth becomes cut off. Regardless of the cause, it’s important that pulpitis is treated as promptly as possible. Failing to do so can lead to many serious issues with your oral and physical health.
Are Gum Disease and Pulpitis Linked?
The pulp of your tooth is connected to the gum tissue. Beneath each tooth, there is an opening at the tip of the tooth’s root. This opening is where the nerves and blood vessels connect the pulp to the gum tissue. Since tooth pulp and gum tissue are linked so closely together, pulpitis can progress into gum disease, and gum disease into pulpitis. Because one condition frequently leads to the other, you need to make gum care a priority. Seeing an endodontist is one way that you can do this.
How Can an Endodontist Assist Me with Caring for My Gums?
An endodontist is a dentist who has specialized in caring for complicated tooth problems that mainly affect your tooth’s pulp. As such, your endodontist will be able to treat issues with the pulp of your teeth that could progress into gum disease. He or she will also be able to treat tooth pulp problems that have occurred due to gum disease. A common treatment for pulpitis is root canal therapy. This treatment removes the infected pulp from the root canals of a tooth. After the procedure has taken place, your endodontist will place a crown over the tooth to ensure that it is stabilized.
Your endodontist will also be able to provide you with tips that will help you establish an excellent daily dental care routine. This will consist of brushing the teeth twice daily, flossing once per day, and receiving regular examinations and checkups from your local dentist. Following these basic dental health care tasks will assist you in keeping your smile as happy and healthy as possible. This foundation will help you prevent a host of potentially serious oral health issues.
If you are looking for someone to help you care for your smile in Long Island, contact our team to book an appointment with us today.
Don’t Ignore Caring for Your Gums
Since gum disease is a progressive disease, it becomes more difficult to treat in its more advanced stages. All it takes is one dental problem to compromise your oral health, as well as your overall physical health. Leaving gum disease and pulpitis untreated leads to serious complications that can have a long-term impact on your oral and physical health. Recent studies have shown that there is a link between gum disease and other serious health issues such as:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Heart Disease
- Stroke
- High Blood Pressure
This makes gum care an essential part of both your dental health and your overall physical health. Untreated periodontitis causes an incredible amount of damage. It leads to pulpitis, as well as other types of serious infections within your mouth. Fortunately, gum disease is an entirely preventable disease. Seeing an endodontist in Long Island is one way that you can help to prevent gum disease.
If you are in need of assistance in treating issues related to the health of your gums, our office specializes in helping you keep your smile as healthy as possible. As experts in gum care in Long Island, we’re here to provide you with state-of-the-art technology and treatment plans.
Don’t delay seeking out treatment for issues with your teeth and gums. As you’ve learned, failing to do so can lead to serious consequences that can negatively impact your life. While you may be tempted to skip out on seeing a professional to address your issues, you will only make your issue more complicated and expensive to treat. You will also make it more difficult to save your natural teeth.
If you are looking for someone to help you care for your smile in Long Island, contact our team to book an appointment with us today.
