Dental Care: 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 should 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 tartar build up along the gum line, the gums will eventually get swollen and irritated.  Over time, the gums will get very tender and start to appear puffy. When you brush your teeth, you’ll notice that your gums have become very sore and they will start to bleed with little to no pressure.  If you notice blood when brushing, chances are you have gingivitis.  Anytime you brush your teeth or floss, there shouldn’t be any sign of blood.

During this stage of gingivitis, there is no loss of bone structure. You can help to prevent gingivitis though, through flossing and brushing a few times a day.  If you have gingivitis and you don’t do something about it, it could lead to periodontal disease.  Those who don’t treat gingivitis or those who keep poor oral hygiene 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 can put a stop to it’s 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 - never let your gums and teeth get this bad.

If you don’t do something about the progression of periodontal disease, the condition will continue to get worse. During the early stages of the disease, you’ll notice that your gums appear to be bright red, and very sore.  This is due to the plaque 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 doesn’t need to be visible or detected in order for periodontal disease to be diagnosed.  To determine if you have periodontal disease, you’ll 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 progression and prevent things from getting any worse than they already are.

Both periodontal disease and gingivitis aren’t normally painful and both tend to progress in a slow fashion.  Although you may not be aware that you have either of the two at first, the symptoms and signs will start to show in the later stages.  Once the later stages have started to progress, you’ll normally end up losing the tooth. 

To be on the safe side and protect your teeth and your gums, you should always go to the dentist for your regular checkups and cleaning.  If you catch it in time, your dentist will be able to help you treat the earlier stages of gum disease.  You don’t 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 to nothing that you can do about it.