Today is Gum Health Day, a worldwide event that aims to raise the public’s awareness of both the cause and treatment of a condition which can have serious implications for your oral and general health.
Using the slogan, “Say NO to bleeding gums”, Gum Health Day is reminding everyone that gum disease, which is often painless and thus not immediately obvious to those with the condition, does have telltale signs of its presence and should prompt people to get to the dentist for treatment, says Andreas Stavropoulos, co-ordinator of Gum Health Day 2020.
“Gums are not supposed to bleed without reason. If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth or when you bite on food – an apple, for example – you should visit your dentist for a periodontal check-up as soon as possible.”
An initiative of the European Federation of Periodontology, Gum Health Day makes a clear link between oral and general health, a connection that the Australian Dental Association has also heavily promoted in recent days through a series of oral health and advocacy endeavours.
“Gum Health Day 2020 aims to remind people that gum health is a key factor for general health and well-being throughout life, and that gum disease is an important public-health issue as it is linked to very serious conditions,” says Professor Stavropoulos.
It is felt that the link between gum disease is still not widely understood by the public at large and that people do not fully comprehend that keeping on top of their oral health through brushing, flossing, observing a healthy diet and regularly visiting to the dentist all play an important role in keeping them healthy overall.
Gum disease has been linked to a raft of conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer’s Disease, and worldwide events like Gum Health Day aim to educate people so they can take practical steps to take better care of their health.
Dentists, researchers and people from across health-related professions are being encouraged to sign a manifesto that calls for “the prevention, early detection, and treatment of gum disease.” ()
