How To Avoid This Silent Disease
When it comes to dental health, most of the time people focus on their teeth but don’t realize that our gum health is very important, too. Did you know that almost half of American adults have some form of periodontal disease, or gum disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control? Many people don’t even know they have it until they are in the more advanced stages of the condition. Find out more about how to avoid this silent disease.
Watch out for early warning signs of gum disease that include:
- Bleeding gums after brushing and flossing
- Sore and tender gums
- Bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
- A receding gum line
It’s important to catch gum disease in its early stages, when it is easier to treat and hasn’t incurred as much damage to your gums or teeth. Unfortunately, when it is not addressed early, it can progress into gingivitis, which occurs when the bacteria that are in plaque build-up on the teeth cause the gums to become inflamed.
Even at this stage, it might not be addressed, and then it can develop into periodontitis, when the inner layer of the gum begins to pull away from the teeth. This harms the gums even more and can also cause teeth to become loose.
The reason why we are pointing this out is that we want you to know that you can actually play a part in avoiding gum disease by keeping up with good dental hygiene. Brushing twice a day and flossing will keep the plaque from building up on your teeth and causing a snowball effect of problems.
At your routine cleanings, we also carefully check for signs of gum disease and will make sure to address the issue with you if we do suspect signs of the condition. In the meantime, if you have any questions about gum disease or your oral health in general, please feel free to contact our office, and we will be happy to help.
