Gum disease is a health issue that affects nearly 75 percent of the adult population in one form or another. While it is normally avoidable, usually treatable, and entirely unpleasant to even think about, understanding the causes of gum disease is one tool that can help to fight it and eliminate it.

The most common cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene habits. It is important to not only brush the teeth but to floss and remove plaque at the gum line and below. Bacteria that grow in plaque build up and cause infections that develop into the first stage of gum disease, gingivitis.

In addition to brushing and flossing, regular use of an antiseptic mouth wash will help to slow or prevent the development of gum disease. It is also important to see a dentist for professional care and occasional cleaning to remove tartar that builds up.

Poor oral hygiene is not the only cause of gum disease. Often, gum disease develops as a sign of an underlying, more serious health problem. Some examples are heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes.

Heart disease and respiratory disease are both significant causes of not receiving an adequate supply of oxygen to all the tissues of the body. As a rule, there is a hierarchy of organs and tissues that will be oxygenated even when oxygen is in short supply. The brain and vital organs top this list. The teeth and gums are quite a bit further down.

Diabetes is a systemic disease that affects virtually every system in the body. Injuries are slow to heal and the risk of infection is astronomical in individuals with diabetes. Gum disease is just one type of infection that develops easily due to the number of bacteria present in the mouth.

There are some severe conditions that can cause a more severe form of gum disease known as necrotizing periodontal disease. HIV infection and immunosuppressing medications and illnesses can cause this form of gum disease to develop because the body is unable to fight off the infection. When it occurs, the tissues and bones that are supposed to support the teeth break down and die, leaving the teeth loose and falling out.

Malnutrition and certain vitamin deficiencies can also lead to necrotizing periodontal disease. Everyone has heard of the disease scurvy that develops when one suffers from a vitamin c deficiency. Other vitamins and minerals are also essential to good oral health. Calcium is one of the most valuable, but all of the b complex vitamins and other trace minerals are also needed. This is just another reason to work on eating a balanced, healthy diet.

Gum disease in its early stages is a fairly simple problem to overcome with the help of a dental care professional. However, it is a more complicated problem when it progresses to the point of becoming periodontitis. In some cases, it may take a medical doctor and a dentist working together to discover exactly what the cause of gum disease in order to create an effective treatment plan.

There are several different causes of gum disease. The most common cause is the one most easily remedied, poor oral hygiene. It is important to remember, though, that there are also a range of underlying medical causes that gum disease can be a sign of. Understanding these causes is important so that one can know when it is time to consider being checked by a doctor, as well as a dentist, to find the cause of gum disease and obtain the correct treatment to prevent further advance of the disease and tooth loss.