Finding A Great Dentist

Important Knowledge About Gum Disease

6 June 2017

Kenzi Thompson

Gum disease is something you want to have treated as quickly as possible because of all of the destruction it can do to your teeth and gums. However, the hard part about doing this is that gum disease is one of those things that can sneak up on you. It often begins slowly and without a lot of blatantly obvious symptoms. This allows it to go on for a while before you are even aware that there is an issue. By the time you start to see the signs you can be well into an advanced stage. At this point the gum disease can already be destroying your jawbone and gums, as well as putting your teeth at risk of falling out. The information here will help you to spot gum disease as early as possible, as well as educate you on ways to prevent it.   

Recognizing the signs of gum disease

The first stage of gum disease is referred to as gingivitis. If you catch things while still in the gingivitis stage, then it is extremely easy for you to treat. One of the most common first signs of gingivitis is bleeding gums when you brush your teeth.

A lot of people miss this sign because they are convinced that their gums are bleeding for another reason, such as using a new tooth brush that must have harder bristles or coming to the conclusion that they must have put too much pressure on the tooth brush while brushing their teeth. The truth is that it is extremely rare that healthy gums would actually bleed from a hard bristled tooth brush or even from pressing too hard on the tooth brush while you are brushing your teeth.

Another sign that you may have gingivitis include noticing that your gums appear to be redder than they normally are. Also, gingivitis can cause your gums to become inflamed and it can cause them to be painful. Bad breath and having a bad taste in your mouth that doesn't go away after brushing or even with a change of diet are also signs of gingivitis.

Preventing the development of gum disease

Making it to your routine dental appointments can play a big role in preventing gum disease since it allows the dentist the chance to spot the warning signs of problems on the horizon. Making sure you brush your teeth for two to three minutes a couple times a day, using dental floss following each meal and swishing a strong mouthwash around in your mouth before bed will all help fend off gum disease. Also, quitting smoking and making sure you are eating well balanced meals will help.

For more information, you will want to talk to a professional, such as one found at Bewick Keary DDS.

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