5 Risk Factors for Gum and Periodontal Disease

By Admin
•
09 Aug, 2022

In the past, a common belief was that everyone had equal chances of getting gum disease. Nonetheless, further studies in recent decades have proved that some factors increase the risk of gum disease. However, you can control some of the said factors with healthy practices.

Explore five factors that put you at risk of gum disease and advanced gum illness, also called periodontal disease.

1. Medicinal Drugs

Some medicines reduce saliva flow, alter the plaque's pH, or directly contribute to gum disease. Saliva controls fungi and bacteria growth; hence a reduced flow increases your chances of infection. Then, if the plaque's pH does not neutralize quickly, harmful bacteria get an opportunity to deteriorate your gums.

Examples of medication that contribute to gum disease include:

Antidepressants
Antihistamines
Antihypertensives
Certain tranquilizers
Oral contraceptives
Immunosuppressive drugs

2. Cognitive Health

Duress increases the chances of attachment loss and alveolar bone loss. The losses stem from a higher level of IL-6 that your body produces when under duress. Besides, the stress hormone also increases gum inflammation, hence a higher risk of gingivitis.

Stress compromises your immune system's response to gingival infections, and you cannot fight gum disease effectively. The duress may also lead to unhealthy behavior, such as tobacco use and poor eating behaviors. You are also less likely to stick to proper oral hygiene and become more prone to oral infections.

3. Tobacco Usage

Tobacco use increases the risk and continuity of gum disease. This is because tobacco reduces your body's ability to fight plaque bacteria. As a result, the extremity of the illness increases. Also, if you are a non-smoker, you’ll respond more positively to treatment than smokers.

Smoking makes your gums bleed less in the case of gingivitis. However, the lesser blood flow indicates an alteration in the gums' blood vessels and increases the rate of alveolar bone loss. Finally, if your gums fail to bleed and you do not have a gum disease diagnosis, the suppressed symptoms might make you miss the signs until the condition worsens.

4. Hormonal Changes in Women

Women undergo hormonal fluctuations during various life stages, such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. In matters of pregnancy, 57% of pregnant women suffer from pregnancy-associated gingivitis. The reason behind the condition is that sex hormones increase during pregnancy and contribute to bone loss around the teeth.

Whereas most imbalances happen naturally, oral birth control pills contribute to the fluctuation. For instance, some contraceptives contain and add progesterone to a woman's body, hence an exaggerated reaction to plaque toxins. Women who use oral contraceptives for a long time can get periodontal deterioration and gingival inflammation.

5. Genetics and Familial Patterns

The IL-1 genotype increases gum disease in adults. Therefore, if the gene runs in your family, you are at a higher risk of gum disease. The appearance of the genetics-induced gum disease depends on the illness' form. Aggressive gum disease could occur when you are below 30, but chronic periodontal illness appears after 30 years of age.

Your family provides background and influences various aspects of your lifestyle that could increase your risk of gum disease. For example, you are at a higher risk if you have lived with a family with less-than-healthy behavior, such as poor oral hygiene. Such an environment could also increase the chances of bacterial transmission from infected to healthy parties.

Proper oral hygiene, good nutrition, and overall body care reduce some of the risk factors discussed above. Guided dental care provides the ideal safety measures based on your condition. Therefore, you will benefit more if you have a reliable dentist to walk with you. If you want excellent medical care for gum disease, do not hesitate to contact Bradley Piotrowski, DDS, MSD, LLC.