Gum disease – medically termed “periodontitis” – is a common type of oral health infection that has the capability of resulting in damage to the bone that acts as a support for a tooth and the soft tissue within the mouth.

If left untreated, the alveolar bone that is located around the teeth starts to deteriorate. As this continues to progress, tooth loss may occur.

Additionally, your risk for many other health complications – such as the onset of a heart attack and stroke – may dramatically increase. It is essential that you learn the signs that could indicate that gum disease is developing.

What is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is a potentially harmful infection that directly impacts the tissues that serve the purpose of holding the teeth in their place within the mouth. In most instances, it is caused by poor oral health hygiene – such as not flossing or brushing regularly.

If the mouth is not cleaned appropriately, a film of harmful bacteria will accumulate on the teeth, eventually hardening and turning into a very hard substance that damages the teeth and surrounding structures.

Apart from poor oral hygiene, other issues may cause gum disease. These include smoking, hormonal issues, metabolic disorders like diabetes, medications, reduced saliva production and flow, certain underlying medical conditions, and even genetic-based susceptibility to gum disease.

What are the Symptoms That Indicate Gum Disease?

Many individuals do not realize that they have gum disease. This is often due to the fact that the condition can progress slowly and painlessly. As a result, very few symptoms – if any – are noticed.

While it is true that the symptoms may prove to be rather subtle, there are often some warning signs that an issue is occurring. The following outlines the most common of these symptoms:

• The gums may appear dark red in color and may look as if they are swollen. Tenderness often accompanies these symptoms.
• A sufferer may notice a bad taste in the mouth. Those around the individual may notice that – despite their best efforts – the breath smells “bad”. These symptoms are often present despite brushing, flossing, and rinsing the teeth and mouth.
• The teeth may become very sensitive to temperatures and certain food products – such as sugar.
• It may become painful to chew certain foods.
• The teeth may start to look as if they are growing longer due to receding gum lines.
• The teeth may start to become loose or start to shift within the mouth. This could start to impact the manner in which the teeth fit together when biting down. If the sufferer wears dentures, they may start to notice that the dental device’s fit is negatively impacted.

How is Gum Disease Treated?

Ultimately, the goal of treatment when it comes to gum disease is to promote the process of reestablishing health within the gums, reducing pain and inflammation, and the risk of infection.

Furthermore, it is important to reduce the pocket depth within the mouth that has developed as a result of the oral health condition.

Examples of treatments that may be used to treat gum disease include – but are not limited to – professional dental cleanings, scaling, flap surgery, bone grafts, tissue regeneration, and periodontal tissue and root therapy in Wichita.

For more information, contact us today at: 316-683-2525