Gum disease leading cause of tooth loss
KOTA KINABALU: Gum disease has overtaken cavities as the leading cause of tooth loss in adults due to prolonged plaque build-up in between teeth, along the gum lines and in gum pockets as a result of poor brushing habits and late detection.
A 2010 study indicated that nine out of 10 Malaysian adults suffer from gum disease, as it is a “silent disease” due to little or no pain in its early stages, which often goes unnoticed.
Southern Lion Sdn Bhd Scientific Affairs manager Dr June Lim said gum disease is reversible and preventable at the early stage via simple oral hygiene practices and visits to the dentist. She advised to practise good dental hygiene habits in moderation.
“With oral hygiene, as with everything else, it’s no good to do too much or too little. Brushing too often can be just as bad as not brushing enough. Practise moderation and make it a habit,” she said, at the gum health forum titled ‘Strong Teeth Begins with Healthy Gums,’ yesterday.
In conjunction with the launch of the Advance Anti-Plaque Toothpaste by Systema, the hosted dentist forum featured talks on gum health by Dr June and a segment on Healthy Gums and Teeth for Life, by Sabah Health Department Clinical Dental Officer Dr Evelyn Ablepadtong.
Earlier, Southern Lion Sdn Bhd marketing manager Jackie Loo said in recognising the widespread issue of gum disease, Systema introduced Lion Japan’s biggest breakthrough, Systema Advance.
“It is the first anti-plaque bacteria toothpaste with Advance Plaque Buster technology to break down plaque and kills 99.9 per cent bacteria in hard to reach areas, especially inside gum pockets. It also soothes gum discomfort.
“We are excited to bring the Systema Advance Anti-Plaque Toothpaste to Sabah, through a dentist forum that provides us with a platform to share insights of the technology, hear feedback and comments from dentists and having our team to share their knowledge. We will continue to do more similar activities here, in Sabah.
“The introduction of Systema Advance Anti-Plaque Toothpaste will further enable consumers in Sabah to achieve healthy gums and teeth for life. Systema Advance Anti-Plaque Toothpaste breaks down plaque and kills bacteria inside gum pockets, while Systema 0.02mm super tapered bristles toothbrush aid in the physical removal of plaque from the hard-to-reach areas especially in between teeth, along the gum line and inside gum pockets,” she added.
Systema Advance Anti-Plaque Toothpaste comes in three variants: Systema Advance Extra Gum Protection with a fresh aromatic peppermint flavour with a spearmint note, Systema Advance Deep Clean Whitening with a longer lasting mint flavour and particles in the paste, and Systema Advance Extreme Clean Breath that provides fresh double mint flavour with long-lasting cooling technology for longer feeling of fresh breath.
At the forum, the public were also urged to participate in a free gum health check via gumhealthcheck.com, a brief online survey to help assess gum health condition.
The free gum health check website is part of Systema Gumbatte Towards One Million Gum Health Checks awareness and education campaign 2019, a collaboration with the Malaysian Dental Association.
The ambitious Gumbatte campaign plays on the Japanese motivational cry “Ganbatte,” meaning “you can do it.”
Jackie further encouraged those who participated in the forum to spread the word on gum disease to further raise awareness. She urged the public to do the free gum health screening online and see a dentist if necessary, or at the very least use a suitable toothbrush and toothpaste to maintain healthy gums and teeth.