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Gum Disease
Gum Disease is an inflammation of the gums; this can progress if left untreated to affect the bone that supports your teeth.
Gum Disease is caused by bacteria found in your plaque. When plaque is not removed regularly, it hardens and turns into calculus. The bacteria in plaque causes your gums to become inflamed and eventually your teeth become effected as the bone begins to dissolved away from the inflammation. Gum Disease is most commonly seen in patients who are over 4o years of age. Read more about Senior Dentistry here.
Brushing or flossing cannot remove calculus, but it can remove plaque before it turns into calculus. This is why it is important to brush and floss daily. Your Dentist or Oral Health Therapist can remove calculus with a professional cleaning at your regular dental check-up appointment.
In the early stages, Gum Disease is often painless. It often goes undetected by patients and the first you hear of it is when you have your dental check-up or your teeth begin to feel loose.
Dr Linc Shares the Symptoms You Must Look out For:
Bleeding Gums when brushing or flossing
Swollen, red or sore gums
Gums that are floppy and move away from the tooth
Consistent bad breath
A bad taste in your mouth
Loose teeth
Moving teeth
Partial dentures that no longer fit
Puss around your teeth and gums
There Are Three Stages of Gum Disease
Gingivitis
This is the first stage of Gum Disease. It is the inflammation of the gums, caused by dental plaque build-up at the gum line. You may notice some redness or swelling of the gums, or some bleeding during brushing and flossing. At this early stage Gum Disease can be reversed, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.
Periodontitis
This is the second stage of Gum Disease. The supporting bone and soft tissues that hold your teeth in place are damaged and a pocket forms below the gum. This encourages the growth of plaque and calculus. To prevent further damage to your gums and bone, a professional periodontal cleaning by your Dentist or Oral Health Therapist is necessary.
Advanced Periodontitis
This is the third and most advanced stage of Gum Disease. The gums and bone that support your teeth are mostly destroyed and this may cause your teeth to loosen or fall out. This may also affect the way your teeth bite together and how you eat and talk.
If your Advanced Periodontitis is aggressive, this usually means it is impossible to save your teeth and they may need to be removed by your Dentist.
Prevention
Correct brushing and flossing will help keep gum disease under control. An antibacterial toothpaste or mouth rinse may be recommended by your Dentist in some cases to kill bacteria and lessen the build-up of plaque in your mouth. Removing dental plaque daily will prevent gum disease and improve the health of your mouth.