Don't Take Care Of Your Teeth? Watch Out For These Signs Of Gum Disease
Posted on: 16 September 2022
If you do not take proper care of your teeth, you can have many problems, one of which is gum disease. Gum disease can lead to infection, tooth loss, and more. Below are some symptoms you should watch out for if you have gum disease so you can get it treated. You will also find information on how a dentist treats this disease.
Signs of Gum Disease
Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease. Healthy gums are pale pink and firm. If you have gum disease your gums will look puffy or swollen. They may look purple, dark red, or bright red. Your gums will feel tender when you brush your teeth or when you touch them.
When you finish brushing or flossing you may see blood when you spit. You may also see a little blood on your toothpaste or the floss. Even a small amount of blood is a warning sign of gum disease. You may have bad breath if you have this disease. Over time, your teeth can become loose, or you may even lose one or more teeth. Receding gums is another sign. This is why part of a dental exam is measuring the space between your teeth and gums.
Gum Disease Treatment
There are both non-surgical and surgical treatments for gum disease. If you are in the early stages, your doctor will try to treat you without having to do surgery. You will start by having a dental cleaning in the dentist's office. This cleaning will remove plaque from your teeth below and above your gum line.
Root planing and scaling may be the next step in treatment, which is like getting your teeth deep cleaned. You will be given a local anesthetic with this treatment as it can be painful. The doctor scrapes the tartar and plaque from below and above your gum line, which is known as scaling. If there are rough spots on your teeth the doctor will scrape them to make them smooth, which is known as planing.
If your dentist determines you are in a later stage of gum disease, they will suggest that you have surgery. One surgery often used is known as pocket reduction or flap surgery. With this, the dentist lifts your gums back to remove tarter and plaque. Rough spots will be smoothed out if there are any. This is because bacteria can easily build up in these areas. When finished, your teeth and gums should look more normal again as there will be much less receding.
Talk to your dentist to learn more about gum disease treatments, as well as others that are available.
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