A Look At Gingivitis And Periodontal Disease

Gum disease, also known as gingivitis, is a serious condition that will normally
result in tooth loss. With adults, gingivitis and periodontal disease are the
most common forms of gum disease. To prevent both types of gum disease, you sho
uld always brush your teeth and remove as much plaque as possible. If you allow
the plaque to build up, gum disease will normally be the result.
Gingivitis is known as inflammation in the tissues of the gums. If plaque and t
artar build up along the gum line, the gums will eventually get swollen and irri
tated. Over time, the gums will get very tender and start to appear puffy. When
you brush your teeth, youll notice that your gums have become very sore and they
will start to bleed with little to no pressure. If you notice blood when brush
ing, chances are you have gingivitis. Anytime you brush your teeth or floss, th
ere shouldnt be any sign of blood.
During this stage of gingivitis, there is no loss of bone structure. You can hel
p to prevent gingivitis though, through flossing and brushing a few times a day.
If you have gingivitis and you dont do something about it, it could lead to per
iodontal disease. Those who dont treat gingivitis or those who keep poor oral hy
giene habits, will normally end up with periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is a condition in which the bone and surrounding structures
are destroyed. Even though this form of mouth disease cannot be reversed, you c
an put a stop to its progression by going to your dentist on a regular basis and
brushing your teeth a few times day. Periodontal disease is a serious condition
, which is why you should always try to stop the progression or even better - ne
ver let your gums and teeth get this bad.
If you dont do something about the progression of periodontal disease, the condit
ion will continue to get worse. During the early stages of the disease, youll not
ice that your gums appear to be bright red, and very sore. This is due to the p
laque building up below the gum line. When left untreated, the plaque and tartar
that is below the gums will continue to eat at the teeth.
Keep in mind that plaque doesnt need to be visible or detected in order for perio
dontal disease to be diagnosed. To determine if you have periodontal disease, y
oull need to have your dentist examine you on a regular basis. Your dentist can
perform tests on your gums and your teeth, to determine if you have it. If you
do have periodontal disease, your dentist can tell you how to stop the progressi
on and prevent things from getting any worse than they already are.
Both periodontal disease and gingivitis arent normally painful and both tend to p
rogress in a slow fashion. Although you may not be aware that you have either o
f the two at first, the symptoms and signs will start to show in the later stage
s. Once the later stages have started to progress, youll normally end up losing
the tooth.
To be on the safe side and protect your teeth and your gums, you should always g
o to the dentist for your regular checkups and cleaning. If you catch it in tim
e, your dentist will be able to help you treat the earlier stages of gum disease
. You dont want to wait until it is too late, as the more advanced stages of gum
disease can completely destroy your teeth and gums - and there will be little t
o nothing that you can do about it.
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