Oral Health: Don't Ignore Your GumsOral Health: Don't Ignore Your Gums


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Oral Health: Don't Ignore Your Gums

When you go to your dentist, you are likely concerned about cavities and the stains on your teeth. If you are like me, then you probably never thought much about your gums. Unfortunately, this caused me to form a serious gum recession condition. My dentist said that hard brushing practices, poor flossing techniques, and even the consumption of sugary foods led to the recession. After some deep scaling treatments, I was informed that I needed a gum graft procedure. The gums are extremely important to your health. They provide your teeth with the nutrients they need and they protect the sensitive dental roots. The gums even keep bacteria away from your jaw bone. Don't ignore your gums like I did. Read my blog and learn about proper oral care techniques. Prevention practices can easily save your gums from necessary restoration.

Missing Teeth? Consider The Benefits Of Getting Dental Implants

There were not many options to fix missing teeth 50 years ago. You either got partial dentures to fill in the gap or a dental bridge. Dental implants did not come along until the 1970s, and they changed the landscape of cosmetic dentistry. It was discovered that titanium could fuse to the jawbone, and it opened up the options available to correct missing teeth. If you need a solution for the gaps in your smile, consider dental implants for the following reasons:

Implants Look Natural

What many people love about dental implants is that they look completely natural. No matter where the implant is installed, nobody will be able to tell it's a fake tooth. The color is matched to your existing teeth so that it blends in perfectly. Your smile will be restored, and it will help raise your self-esteem.

Implants Improve Speech

Missing multiple teeth will most likely have an impact on your speech patterns. Using dentures is not ideal, because they can easily slip and cause their own speech problems. That is not an issue with dental implants because they will stay in place and not alter your existing speech patterns.

Implants Last A Long Time

Bridges can easily break down due to their reliance on the supporting teeth surrounding the gap, and dentures will only last between 7 and 10 years. If you are having either option done younger in life, expect to go back to the dentist when your method of choice fails.

Dental implants have the potential to last your entire life. As long as you are taking good care of your remaining teeth and implants with good oral hygiene, you will be doing everything you can to make the implant last a long time.

Implants Make Eating Easier

Immediately following your dental implant surgery, there will be some recovery time while the bone and gum tissue heals. You will be limited to eating soft foods initially, but once the surgical site heals, you will not be limited in the foods that you can eat.

Implants Protect Your Jawbone

Missing teeth can impact the structure of your jawbone, and eventually cause deterioration. Activities like chewing stimulate your jawbone, which helps keep it strong. Most deterioration will occur within 18 months of when you lost your teeth, because the jawbone loses the stimulation it needs. While dentures and bridges will not stimulate the jawbone and cause it to gradually deteriorate, dental implants will help the jawbone remain strong.

Now that you are aware of some benefits of dental implants, hopefully you will consider using them to fix your missing teeth.

To find a local dentist, go to http://www.couchmandental.com or do an online search.