Gum Disease: What Is it?
Oral health is very important for an overall healthy body. One of the diseases with serious consequences that we have to be on the lookout for is periodontal disease or gum disease. It is a bacterial infection which if not treated can lead to loss of a tooth and other things. Hence the word ‘periodontal’ literally meaning ‘around the tooth’. This disease can affect one or many teeth at the same time.
The bacteria in your mouth with mucus and other substances regularly forms ‘plaque’ – a sticky, colorless substance around our teeth. That’s why you brush – to cleanse your mouth of these substances. If you don’t do that regularly, the plaque can harden and will be difficult to take off by just brushing. The longer you don’t clean your teeth of that hardened plaque or ‘tarter’, the more it becomes harmful. The bacteria can cause your gums to inflame. This inflammation is called ‘gingivitis’ where the gum becoms red, swollen and can even bleed. At this condition, you don’t lose any bone or tissue in your mouth, and teeth health can be restored by brushing and flossing, and with regular cleanings at a dentist.
However, if you don’t treat gingivitis on time, it can lead to periodontitis. In this stage, the gum loosens up from the teeth and allows gaps in between the teeth. Those gaps can be infected. The body fights the bacteria, and in the process tissues inside the mouth that hold the teeth in place starts to break down. If you don’t treat periodontitis on time, your teeth and your gums can be damaged forever.
Identifying gum disease on time is vital. You should regularly watch out for the symptoms which include long-lasting bad breath, swollen gums, blood from the gums, pain in the teeth or gums while eating, and loose teeth. If you observe these signs in you, you should not waste any time and visit a dentist immediately.
There are precautions you can take to avoid gum diseases. Rinse your mouth properly after each meal and floss your teeth. Flossing your teeth has many advantages, preventing gum diseases is just one of them. Make it a regular habit. Another regular habit you should develop is visiting your dentist at regular intervals to get your teeth cleaned.
You normally don’t get gum diseases when you are young. As with most diseases, it attacks you as you get older. However, it is not so rare in younger individuals anymore. It will happen if you do not care for your teeth and gums properly. There is even a special form of gum diseases for teenagers. It’s called the juvenile periodontitis, and in most cases it is hereditary.
Some other conditions that might invite gum diseases are – pregnancy, diabetes, and a few other health conditions. It is a common knowledge that smokers are most likely to get gum disease.
Call your South Tampa dentist, South Tampa Dental Studio, for all of your dental needs – 813.356.0555 – South Tampa Gum Disease Prevention or Treatment