4 Things to Know About Gum Disease
When you have an appointment, your dentist will look for signs of gum disease when examining your mouth. Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, is a massive problem among adults. If you have it, you should treat it and take measures to prevent it from worsening, as it can have devastating effects on your mouth. If you do not know a lot about gum disease, here are four essential things you should know.
1. It Develops from Plaque on Your Teeth
Gum disease does not just appear and develop in your mouth for no reason. Instead, it develops from plaque. Plaque is a material you can find on your teeth almost always, but it is also something that you can remove by flossing and brushing. If you do not remove it fast enough, it hardens and seeps into the areas by your gum lines. Over time, this is what leads to the development of gum disease.
2. There Are Stages
The second thing to know is that gum disease has stages, and most dentists separate the stages into three classifications. The first one is gingivitis. At this point, you can treat gum disease without suffering any major effects. The second stage is periodontal disease, and this stage is worse than the first. When the disease progresses too much, it leaves you with advanced periodontal disease. At this point, a dentist cannot do a lot to treat it and stop it from damaging your gums, teeth, and bone.
3. It Presents Signs You Can Watch For
Many people do not know that they have gum disease, but a lot of people could find out by looking for the signs. Bleeding gums is one of the most prevalent signs of the initial stage of gum disease. Your gums should not bleed. If they do, talk to your dentist. Another sign is puffiness, swelling, redness, or pain with your gums. If you experience these things, talk to your dentist.
4. Dentists Can Provide Treatment Options
It is best if you catch gum disease at the start. Catching it right away helps your dentist have a way to treat it and stop it from progressing. The most common treatment for the initial stage of gum disease is scaling and root planing. This process cleans the gum lines to remove the plaque and stops the disease from worsening. If you have questions or suspect you have gum disease, contact a dentistry.
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