Sunday, March 22, 2009

Natural Alternative for Preventing Gum Sickness

Herbal Alternative for Curing Gum Sickness

As children, we are trained to look after our teeth properly, but as adults, we often forget our dental hygiene, leading to many major problems, such as gum disease. Gum disease is one of those problems that may originate in the mouth, but can quickly spread to impact other areas of the body, primarily the heart. So, if you have neglected your dental health in the past, take this as a wake-up call, and start taking better care of your teeth.

Gum disease primarily affects adults who are thirty years old and older, but can be found in even teenagers, who don?t care for their teeth properly. Gum disease is caused by bacteria having a party in your mouth, bacteria that is normally not a problem for those people who floss and brush as they should.

Often, the early signs and symptoms are overlooked or dismissed.If you do have gum disease, and find out about it while it is still in the early stage, you can do something about it. There are many remedies available that can rid you of the problem, provided you combine them with a good dental care regimen. One of the best natural gum disease remedies is Vitamin C. Likewise, if you have a Vitamin C deficiency, you are at a much greater risk of developing gum disease, even if you do practice good dental care.



You may want to do some research on your own to find out more information, or talk to your dentist about natural treatment options. As the population gets long in the tooth, more people are likely to suffer from gum disease.



Although such factors as smoking, heredity, medications and lowered immunity make people more susceptible to gum disease, the most common cause is poor oral hygiene.{

Price says along with regular brushing and flossing, the first line of defence against gum disease is visiting a dentist regularly so the teeth and gums are monitored.



"It's a sad statistic that almost half of Canadians don't see a dentist regularly," he says. "For those who go to a family dental practice for regular dental checkups and hygiene cleanings, periodontal disease is typically picked up with regular examination."

Those who don't see dental practitioners regularly might not know the extent of the problem until the disease is in an advanced state.

"It's unsettling that so many people come to me with no idea of how severe their problem is. If their disease had been identified sooner, the treatment would be easier," says Price."Periodontal disease does not declare itself with pain, or any of the obvious symptoms that most people rely on to identify dental problems."In that respect, it is like high blood pressure, diabetes or arthritis. It's a disease that can sneak up on you and create a lot of problems in your life if it is left untreated."

Gum disease has been identified as a risk factor that can complicate other serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory ailments and the delivery of pre-term babies with low birth weights.Health Canada refers to "a number of recent studies investigating the relationship between periodontal disease and health problems, (which) suggest that primary bacteria found in the mouth when periodontal disease is present can enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body."Healthy gums are firm and pale pink.At an early stage, the problem may be gingivitis. Further down the line, it develops into periodontitis."Gingivitis is a mild, reversible form of gum irritation that most of the population experiences from time to time," says Price. "It responds to brushing, flossing and regular cleanings at the dental office."

Severe gum disease is also treatable. Periodontitis "will not respond to home measures, and sometimes needs more advanced control techniques than cleanings," says Price.A Canadian national dental health measures survey is to be released in 2010.

Click here for more about treating gum disease