Featuring Dr. Jeffrey Norden, DDS

Duration: 1 minute, 25 seconds

Gingivitis, strictly speaking, is an inflammation of the gums.

The most common cause of gingivitis is an accumulation of plaque and calculus around your teeth, most commonly because we've been not so great with our home care, which is really brushing and flossing.

Flossing for many people is still a very difficult thing to do on a daily basis, but yet it's one of the most important things to help reduce the incidence of gingivitis.

Gingivitis is the earliest sign of gum disease but not necessarily the last sign. If we don't treat gum disease often gingivitis can lead into further deteriorations of the gums and includes the bone that surrounds the teeth, which can lead to gum and bone loss, recession, and eventually loss of your teeth.

The best way to prevent gingivitis is to have basic home care: brushing properly, flossing properly. Make sure you see your dentist, and your dental hygienist to make sure that they properly debride your teeth to make sure you don't get the accumulation of plaque and tartar and its associated toxins that can cause gingivitis.

If you have more questions about gingivitis or other gum diseases please contact your dentist for more information.

Presenter: Dr. Jeffrey Norden, General Dentist, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: General Dentist