Thursday, October 24, 2019

3 Unusual Gum Disease Risk Factors

gum disease texas

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of adults age 30 and older suffer from some form of gum disease. That is 1 in 2 people suffer from gum disease. Gum disease comes with silent symptoms that often are easy to overlook. “The main cause of periodontal (gum) disease is plaque, but other factors affect the health of your gums,” according to the American Academy of Periodontology.

Gum diseases are caused by lack of oral hygiene, not flossing or brushing your teeth. However, there are other factors that may increase your risk of gum disease. Here are three unusual gum disease risk factors to look out for.

1. Stress
Stress can cause various health problems and one of those is gum disease. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, “research demonstrates that stress can make it more difficult for the body to fight off infection, including periodontal diseases.” Stress may cause gum disease to go away, once you have it.

2. Teeth Grinding
Grinding your teeth or clenching your teeth puts force on your gum tissues supporting your teeth and can cause gum disease to accelerate. Not to mention, the negative impacts this has your teeth itself and your jaw.

3. Medications
Different types of medications can cause various side effects to our oral health, such as a dry mouth and others. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, “some drugs, such as oral contraceptives, anti-depressants, and certain heart medicines, can affect your oral health.”