| Allan I. Abolafia, D.D.S. |  |
Allen W. Ackerman, D.D.S. |
| THE TOOTH TRIBUNE |
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But Getting it Wrong Anyway? You may be really careful about brushing and flossing and regular hygiene visits, but may have "wound up" with gum disease despite your dutiful efforts. Unfortunately there are things which increase your risk of getting periodontal disease. It's important for you to know and understand these factors and for you to bring them to the attention of your dental health professionals. 1. Diabetes. Insulin imbalance can increase your susceptibility to infections, gum disease included. Controlling your diabetes can work positively to keep gum disease under control. 
2. Smoking: Smokers have four times the risk of developing gum disease. Cessation of smoking, can cut the risk.3. Osteoporosis: Bone thinning can increase the severity of even mild gum disease. When there is bone loss, the bone holding your teeth may become affected, resulting in loosening of teeth and possible tooth loss. 4. Menopause. One of the functions of the hormone estrogen is to strengthen bones. A decrease in estrogen may increase the risk of tooth loss and, thereby, cause gum problems. Women taking estrogen after menopause, research has shown, are more likely to keep their teeth and have less gum bleeding issues than women who do not take the hormone replacement. 5. Memory-"Improvement" Herbs: Taking herbs such as ginko bilboa may trigger bleeding of the gums, because the herb reduces the body's clotting ability. 6. Tooth Grinding: People who grind their teeth in their sleep need to be especially diligent in keeping an eye on the condition of their gums. Ask your dentist about mouth guards, which help to cut down on wearing down the teeth and also lessen the stress on bones and gums. 
7. Medications: Some drugs, as a side effect, reduce the amount of saliva in the mouth, which, in turn, keeps bacteria from being "washed away." In particular, drugs which treat high blood pressure, antidepressants, decongestants and antihistamines may be a problem. Make certain to inform your dental health professionals if you are taking one or more of these types of medications. Drinking water on a regular basis, during the day, helps.
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