A Closer Look at Periodontal Disease and Gingivitis

Tooth loss is normal caused by a very serious condition known as gingivitis, more commonly known as gum disease. 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.

Inflammation of the gums tissues is what characterizes gingivitis. Gums are eventually irritated and swollen when tartar and plaque build up along the gum line. Over time, gums puff up and get very tender. 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.

There is still no loss of bone structure during this stage of gingivitis. By simply brushing and flossing a few times a day, you can already help prevent gingivitis. 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. Once you have this disease, you can never lose it, but by brushing your teeth several times a day and visiting your dentist regularly, you can at least stop it's progression. You should never let your teeth and gums get this bad, or you should at least try to stop its progression because periodontal disease is very serious.

If you don t do something about the progression of periodontal disease, the condition will continue to get worse. You'll notice that your gums are very sore and appear to be bright red during the disease's early stages. The plaque buildup along the gum line causes this. 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. To determine if you have it, tests have to be performed on your teeth and gums by your dentist. Your dentist can then tell you how to prevent periodontal disease from progressing if you already have it.

Both gingivitis and periodontal disease progress in a very slow fashion, usually without pain. 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. Don't wait until there is little to nothing that can be done and when gum disease's more advanced stages have completely destroyed your gums and teeth.