General Health Information

When most of us think about periodontal(gum) disease, we probably can
think of gingivitis. Unfortunately, gingivitis is just the first stage
of periodontal disease. If untreated, gingivitis will progress into
periodontitis. Eventually, periodontal disease may be the demise of
your teeth that you have worked so hard to maintain over the years.
And, if you brushed and flossed regularly, periodontal disease would be
far less likely to develop and most likely could be treated with a good
cleaning from your dentist every six months. However, periodontal
disease and smoking go hand-in-hand and good oral hygiene may not be
enough to save your gums. A big reason why smoking and periodontal disease
seem to go hand-in-hand is because smoking impairs the body from
defending itself by weakening the immune system and robbing it of vital
vitamins and minerals necessary for a healthy smile. The best way to
protect both your gums and oral health is to quit smoking.