Gum disease, which could perhaps be the most common dental disease we see, affects about half of the total number of adults in the United States. While a big part of what causes gum disease comes down to which food choices we make, there are also numerous risk factors you should be mindful of. Here are a few of them you can review.
The most obvious factor that will make you vulnerable for gum disease is poor dental hygiene. If you are not brushing your teeth two times per day and flossing at least once per day (as well as stopping by our office often), the food remnants left in your oral cavity after you eat will erode and lead to gum disease. Make sure you’re brushing habitually! If you smoke or chew tobacco, you will be at an increased risk for gum disease. For lots of reasons, including higher amounts of food ingestion, pregnant women are at an increased risk for gum disease. Other risk factors for gum disease include diabetes and some types of medications which hamper the amount of spit development.
You can ring 919-489-9171 to have the H.T. Macon Sapp, DDS team schedule a Durham, North Carolina, visit with Dr. Macon Sapp for you. Reach out to us if you have any questions!