A closer look into the mouth by Dr Martin Schiele

Three out of four adults over thirty five experience tender, swollen or bleeding gums at some point in their lives, so if you have not had gum problems yet, the chances are that you will.

Symptoms
Red, swollen and tender gums. Chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth. Gums that bleed specially after teeth cleaning. Loose teeth.

There are two main types of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis.

Gingivitis is showing as tender and inflamed gums and occurs when bacteria in the mouth form a thin, sticky film called plaque. That coats the teeth and gums. If not treated plaque will turn into tartar, a hard mineral shell that erodes gum tissue, which will lead to the more serious and harder to treat condition called periodontitis.

The gums will recede in places and pockets form around the teeth, which allows bacteria to eat away at the bone anchoring of the teeth.

Causes
Inadequate or lack of oral hygiene ie: insufficient teeth cleaning, flossing or rinsing. Precipitating factors include high sugar diets, severe lack of nutrients particularly vitamin C and smoking (the chemicals in tobacco smoke harm gum and teeth). Also, certain medication can inhibit the production of Saliva and as a consequence bacteria and sugars may not get “washed” away. Genetic factors can play a part too and women seem to be more prone during pregnancy and menopause because of hormonal changes. Chronic diseases such as diabetes can also lower the resistance to infections, which increases the risk for gum disease.

What to do about it.
Stop eating sweets and sticky carbohydrates or at least clean your teeth immediately after consumption.

Clean your teeth twice a day using a soft - bristled brush and floss once a day. Visit your dentist twice a year particularly if you are prone to plaque build up. In addition take an “A to Z” multi-vitamin and multi-mineral formulation supplement.

Use a suitable mouth spray.

Recommendation
One of the most effective natural preparation which incorporates all the proven natural agents to prevent and treat bad breath, mouth ulcers and gum disease is described in the members only articles on this site.

For further free information on the prevention and treatment of gingivitis read more in the consultation room...