Learn About Daily Habits That Can Minimize Your Risk Of Suffering From Periodontal Disease

Written by Dr. McKay on Feb 19, 2013

Periodontal disease is one of the most damaging problems that adult dental patients can deal with. This is because periodontal disease truly undermines the foundation, the underlying structure, of the patient’s smile. So, when periodontal disease takes a hold of your smile, it can spread through your oral tissues and teeth.


Our Toluca Lake dentists are here to help our patients protect their smiles from long-term dental damage. Here are some things that you can do during the day in order to minimize your risk of suffering from gum disease:


· Drink plenty of water—drinking water is obviously great for your overall health, but did you know that it is also critical to maintaining strong oral health? When you consume enough water, your body is able to produce saliva. Saliva is your body’s way of naturally neutralizing harmful oral bacteria. Plus, when you drink water, it can dislodge dental debris from between your teeth and along your gum line.


· Snack smartly—you probably already know that foods and drinks that are rich in sugars and carbohydrates can lead to dental decay and infection. This is because bacteria are able to feed and grow when they are exposed to sugars and refined carbohydrates. In order to minimize the harmful effects of these indulgences, try to eat or drink the in a relatively short period of time (rather than, for example, eating little bits throughout the day). Oral bacteria are only active and able to feed for 20 to 30 minutes after food/drink exposure, so don’t give them too many opportunities to grow!


Our Toluca Lake dentists provide the professional treatments that people need to effectively manage gum disease and other forms of dental decay. To learn more about what you can do at home, please call our helpful team and schedule a consultation!