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You don’t want your car to break down, so what do you do? You take it to your mechanic, and he checks things out. On your own, you keep the oil and coolant full, and keep an eye on your gauges.

Most of us would say we don’t want our teeth to, in effect, break down with gum disease, tooth loss, and the like. But rather than do the home care with diligent brushing and flossing, we only give it a cursory pass. And we exacerbate the problem by skipping our appointments for routine maintenance and cleaning with Dr. Egger and his friendly staff.

And since we’ve all been stuck at home for the past many weeks doing things we’ve rarely if ever done — 2000-piece jigsaw puzzles, playing Monopoly for the first time since you were 8, organizing the garage, et al — where’s the love for home hygiene?

Dr. Egger would like to remind all of you, our valued patients, that a little homework (and not the online variety your kids have been pretending to do) goes a long way to keep your gums healthy.

The value of good oral hygiene

Periodontal disease is a fancy term for gum disease…and it is something you do not want. Adults over the age of 35 lose more teeth to gum disease than from cavities and decay. Three out of four adults will have some degree of periodontal disease some time in their life.

Although the various outcomes of periodontal disease are very painful and quite ugly, they can be prevented with little more than good home hygiene and regular professional cleanings and exams with Dr. Egger. That’s right, brushing for two minutes twice a day and flossing can head off disease.

Plaque is the enemy

It all comes down to plaque. Plaque is the sticky coating that covers your teeth throughout the day. It’s colorless and sticks to your teeth down at the gumline. It forms constantly all day but can be effectively removed with simple brushing and flossing.

But if you don’t get the plaque off it does two things. First, it hardens into a rough, porous substance known as calculus (informally known as tartar). Once tartar forms on your teeth, it can only be removed by a dentist.

Second, the bacteria found in plaque will begin to irritate the gums. This irritation causes the gums to turn red, swell, and bleed easily. If the irritation continues, the gums begin to separate from the teeth, creating pockets that attract even more bacteria. You see where this is going — eventually your gums stop supporting the teeth and you begin to have tooth loss and jawbone erosion.

So, do your homework, so to speak, by brushing and flossing. And keep your regular twice-yearly checkups and cleanings with Dr. Egger. Call us at (989) 773-3560 to make your appointment.