Periodontal Disease: What Is Gum Disease?
Periodontal disease, also referred to as gum disease or periodontitis, is a type of disease that occurs in the mouth.
Gum disease is the result of a bacterial infection that destroys the gums, bones, and connective tissues that supports the teeth and holds them in place.
It is important for you to maintain good oral health care in order to protect the health of your gums.
Your gums are the first defense mechanism that you have to protect you from bacterial infections that occur in the mouth.
Once the safety of the gums has been breached, bacteria will aim to attack the bones and tissue in your mouth.
You need to be aware of the signs of a periodontal disease in order to protect your mouth.
Unfortunately, most people never know that they have the disease until it has reached the later stages.
That is because there is typically no pain involved during the beginning stages of gum disease.
In fact, the early stages of gum disease can go unnoticed if you do not know to look for slight bleeding when you brush your teeth, gum softening, and discolored gums that generally appear dark red rather than a nice healthy pink color.
Some people mistake bleeding for brushing too hard.
During the later stages of periodontal disease, you will typically experience mouth sores, loosened teeth, halitosis (chronic bad breath), tender gums, swollen and painful gums, and spaces that occur between the teeth.
Should you notice any of these symptoms, it could mean that the gum disease has progressed to a more serious stage.
You need to seek dental care immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.
Approximately 85 percent of the people living in the United States suffer from some form of gum disease ranging from mild to severe.
Therefore, you are not alone.
Periodontal disease is caused by the occurrence of bad bacteria overgrowth.
The saliva in a healthy mouth alone can contain millions of bacteria, once the mouth becomes infected, that number increases into the billions.
As the bacterium continues to spread, the mouth develops a thin invisible lining over the teeth known as plaque.
If the development of plaque is not taken care of as soon as it develops, it can progress and damage the gums even worse.
The bacteria continues to spread throughout the mouth if dental care is avoided and can eventually lead to a more serious form of periodontal disease known as periodontitis.
Gum disease is the result of a bacterial infection that destroys the gums, bones, and connective tissues that supports the teeth and holds them in place.
It is important for you to maintain good oral health care in order to protect the health of your gums.
Your gums are the first defense mechanism that you have to protect you from bacterial infections that occur in the mouth.
Once the safety of the gums has been breached, bacteria will aim to attack the bones and tissue in your mouth.
You need to be aware of the signs of a periodontal disease in order to protect your mouth.
Unfortunately, most people never know that they have the disease until it has reached the later stages.
That is because there is typically no pain involved during the beginning stages of gum disease.
In fact, the early stages of gum disease can go unnoticed if you do not know to look for slight bleeding when you brush your teeth, gum softening, and discolored gums that generally appear dark red rather than a nice healthy pink color.
Some people mistake bleeding for brushing too hard.
During the later stages of periodontal disease, you will typically experience mouth sores, loosened teeth, halitosis (chronic bad breath), tender gums, swollen and painful gums, and spaces that occur between the teeth.
Should you notice any of these symptoms, it could mean that the gum disease has progressed to a more serious stage.
You need to seek dental care immediately if you notice any of these symptoms.
Approximately 85 percent of the people living in the United States suffer from some form of gum disease ranging from mild to severe.
Therefore, you are not alone.
Periodontal disease is caused by the occurrence of bad bacteria overgrowth.
The saliva in a healthy mouth alone can contain millions of bacteria, once the mouth becomes infected, that number increases into the billions.
As the bacterium continues to spread, the mouth develops a thin invisible lining over the teeth known as plaque.
If the development of plaque is not taken care of as soon as it develops, it can progress and damage the gums even worse.
The bacteria continues to spread throughout the mouth if dental care is avoided and can eventually lead to a more serious form of periodontal disease known as periodontitis.
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