Gum or periodontal disease is an inflammation of the tissues supporting and surrounding the teeth. It is a serious oral health problem and one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. The conditions start slowly and painlessly and advance quickly, causing severe damage to the teeth, gums, jawbone, and related structures. If left untreated, it could also spread to other body parts, impacting your general well-being.
Gum disease occurs when the bacteria in the mouth combine with food particles to form tartar and other buildup on the gums and teeth. The buildup causes inflammation in the gums. Food particles remain in the mouth every time you eat. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth after every meal or twice a day and flossing to remove any stuck food particles from the mouth. If that does not happen and food particles are left longer in the mouth, they will combine with the bacteria. That results in inflammation, which later results in an infection that affects your gums, teeth, jawbone, and underlying structures.
Early detection is crucial in treating and controlling the spread of gum disease before it worsens. Thus, understanding its key signs and symptoms will enable you to seek treatment right after its onset. Remember that gum disease advances quickly, spreading to the gums and structures supporting and surrounding the teeth.
Signs That You Have Gum Disease
Gum disease starts slowly, without pain or noticeable signs. It becomes a challenge for many people to know they have the condition. Some symptoms start appearing as the disease advances. You could notice some pain, bleeding gums, and changes in your teeth’s appearance once the disease advances to periodontitis.
Dentists recommend taking good care of your teeth, gums, and entire mouth to enjoy good oral health and overall well-being. Your teeth, gums, and jawbone ensure a functional mouth. Sadly, many people take care of their teeth and neglect their gums. Taking care of your gums also plays a crucial role in ensuring you enjoy good oral health. Without caring for your gums, you become susceptible to gum and periodontal disease, which could result in lost or weak teeth and jawbone.
While many oral health issues start with pain, the symptoms of gum disease do not always include pain. You could experience pain when your gums become completely inflamed or infected and your teeth shake. But at its onset, gum disease does not present any pain. However, a lack of pain does not necessarily mean that the oral issue you experience is not serious.
For example, if your gums are reddish, bleed when you brush, or are sensitive to touch, you should talk to a dentist immediately. If your dentist diagnoses you with gum disease, they will recommend treatment to halt its advancement and manage the condition. Here are some of the factors indicating that you have gum disease:
Swollen, Bleeding, or Sore Gums
Gum disease starts in your gums, spreading to other parts of the mouth and body. The first sign of gum disease is inflammation of the gums, which causes them to become swollen, sore, or bleed. Your gums become reddish or pinkish and sore to the touch. They bleed easily when you touch them, especially when brushing your teeth. Maintaining good oral health when you have gum disease is challenging because of the soreness and bleeding. When the gums are swollen, you cannot enjoy eating, drinking, speaking, or smiling.
Healthy gums are not sore, swollen, or bleeding. Some people quickly assume they use the wrong brush or are not gentle enough when their gums bleed. That is why it is easy to ignore gum disease and only seek help when it is in its advanced stage. If your gums were healthy before and you notice some of these changes, speaking to a skilled dentist is good. They will examine your gums and teeth to rule out the disease or treat it.
You could have gum disease if you are not keen on maintaining good oral hygiene through daily brushing and flossing of your teeth. The bacteria in the mouth combine with stuck food particles between your teeth and gums to create a buildup that irritates the gums, causing inflammation. The irritation causes the gums to become reddish or pinkish, sensitive, swollen, and prone to bleeding even after a slight touch.
If you ignore these signs, the bacteria film or buildup will attack the healthy tissues surrounding your teeth, eventually damaging the fibers holding your teeth in place. This first stage of the disease is called gingivitis.
It is uncomfortable and sometimes painful to continue brushing when your gums are sore, bleeding, or swollen. But dentists recommend continuously brushing and flossing to keep your mouth and teeth clean and healthy. Remember that if more food particles remain stuck in the gums and teeth, plaque will continue to build up on your teeth and gums, worsening the situation. Brushing will remove any stuck food and dirt on the teeth and gums. Flossing will remove any particles that could be stuck in your teeth. Ensure you gently reach all the hard-to-reach areas to minimize the growth of the dangerous bacteria in the mouth. If the bleeding persists, you must consult with a dentist.
Note: The first signs of gum disease could be unnoticeable if you are a smoker. Smoking affects how blood flows to various body parts, including your gums. It limits the amount of blood you receive from the gums. Hence, it could mask these early signs of the disease, making it hard for you to seek help before the disease advances. In that case, you must seek help immediately if you notice other signs of the disease.
Gum Recession
If you ignore or miss the first signs of gum disease, the disease will spread and affect the gums and their underlying structures. Gum recession occurs when bacteria attack the soft tissues supporting your teeth, causing your gum to recede and your teeth to appear taller than usual. Typically, hum teeth do not become longer as they grow. The size of your teeth remains the same until old age. Seeing any changes in your teeth’s appearance could be a sign that something is wrong with them, which is a good reason to consult a dentist.
When the bacteria affects your gums and continues to spread to the underlying structures, you lose gum tissues around your teeth in the process. That continues until the roots of your teeth are exposed, leaving your teeth with minimal support. Receding gum is a serious health concern, especially once it exposes the roots. It puts your teeth in danger of infection, decay, and loss. Additionally, receding gums affect your look and feel, affecting your smile and confidence. It could also cause your teeth to become sensitive, impacting how and what you eat.
When your gums are healthy, they fit snugly around your teeth, keeping them strong and in position. The gap between the teeth and gums is also minimal to reduce the chances of food becoming stuck between the gum pockets. When gum disease starts advancing, it causes your gum pockets to become wider and deeper. As the bacteria spread to the underlying structures, keeping the gum pockets clean and free of food particles becomes increasingly difficult. The pockets become progressively deeper, worsening the situation.
In some cases, gum disease develops from your brushing habits. For example, using a toothbrush with hard bristles or aggressively brushing your teeth could cause your gums to recede. Once that happens, food particles will start accumulating in the pockets between your teeth and gums. Note that these are difficult-to-reach areas with your brush or when flossing. When the remaining food particles combine with the bacteria in the mouth, they cause buildup on the gums and teeth, which causes irritation and inflammation of the gums. Choosing a brush with soft bristles is advisable every time you go shopping. Some dentists recommend an electric-powered brush as it has pressure sensors.
Gum recession also starts slowly and worsens over time. It is a serious problem that requires immediate attention by a skilled dentist. Regular visits to the dentist’s office are recommended to allow your dentist to assess your teeth and gums and determine whether the pockets of your gums are of the right size or are receding. If a general dentist notices a problem with your gums or suspects you have periodontitis, they will refer you to a periodontist for specialized diagnosis and treatment.
If gum recession is severe and your gum pockets are deeper, when you see a periodontist, they will recommend various treatments and therapies to remedy the situation and eradicate the disease for good. For example, they could recommend deep cleaning to remove all stuck food particles from your gum pockets and other hard-to-clean areas in the mouth. Deep cleaning will also remove any infection in the mouth and underlying structures. It will also rid your gums and teeth of plaque and tartar. Once the dentist halts the spread of the disease, your gums heal and eventually tighten around your teeth again.
In more serious situations, for example, if you still have periodontal pockets after a deep cleaning, a periodontist can recommend a surgical treatment. It will stabilize the advancement of the disease, allowing your gums to heal and tighten around the teeth.
Tooth Sensitivity
Tooth sensitivity makes it uncomfortable to enjoy eating or drinking some of your favorite foods. You do not experience changes in sensations when your teeth and gums are healthy. Thus, sensitivity is a cause for concern and should compel you to seek the help of a dentist. Gum diseases cause your teeth to become very sensitive, especially to cold or hot beverages, when you expose them or chew ice.
Tooth sensitivity from gum disease occurs when the roots of your tooth are exposed due to gum recession. Recession exposes your tooth’s enamel, which protects your tooth from damaging external factors. Gum recession also causes your teeth to become unusually sensitive. It becomes difficult for you to eat, drink, or speak.
Your gums cover your teeth’s roots, which usually do not have enamel to shield them. When the roots are exposed after gum recession, you experience great discomfort doing some of the things you naturally could before the disease, including smiling. Your teeth could also become unusually painful.
It is advisable to speak to your dentist immediately after you experience sensitivity. If gum disease is left untreated, the sensitivity only worsens.
Persistent Bad Breath
Bad breath is a prevalent oral issue as it affects most people, children and adults alike. But sometimes, we mask it with brushing, mouthwashes, and breath mints. However, it could be a bad sign if you have persistent bad breath that you cannot mask with anything. It could indicate deteriorating oral health, excess oral bacteria, dental decay, or periodontal disease.
You experience bad breath when the buildup on your teeth, tongue, or gums releases smelly gas. If you have never had a bad breath issue before, it is advisable to consult with a dentist immediately after you notice changes in how your mouth smells. A skilled dentist will examine your teeth and gums to determine and treat the problem.
If you have gum disease, which is the reason for your persistent bad breath, your dentist will refer you to a periodontist. The periodontist will conduct further exams to determine whether you have gum disease and its extent.
Loose or Lost Teeth
Once gum disease exposes your teeth’s roots., your teeth become loose or wobbly and could start falling off. Remember that your teeth are held firmly by gum tissues. The disease attacks these tissues first, causing the gums to recede and leaving your teeth with minimal or zero support. Gum disease is among the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. It loosens your teeth, and they eventually fall off.
But before falling off, your teeth cannot withstand eating pressure. You experience difficulties and sometimes pain whenever you try to chew or bite. The affected teeth shift in position, making them appear irregular and out of place. That affects how your teeth come together when you bite down, your general appearance, and your feelings.
It is advisable to seek the help of a dentist immediately after you notice your teeth becoming wobbly. Replacing lost teeth requires expensive and extensive procedures. A skilled periodontist can quickly save the situation before you lose more of your natural teeth.
When To See a Dentist
Remember that gum disease starts slowly, with a few or zero signs, and progresses with time. It is advisable to see a dentist immediately after you notice the first signs of the disease. For example, if your gums start bleeding, become sensitive to touch, swollen, or painful. These are clear indications that something is not right with your gums. Ignoring the signs puts you at risk of graver symptoms and other oral health issues that take time and are expensive to treat.
However, some people do not notice the signs until the disease has progressed so much in the mouth. That is why dentists recommend regular visits to the dentist for routine checkups and treatment. If you visit your dentist as regularly as you should, they will notice some early signs of gum disease and treat it before it worsens. Besides, dentists list good oral habits you must practice at home to keep your teeth, gums, and jawbone healthy and protect yourself from serious conditions like gum disease. For example, they recommend daily brushing and flossing of teeth, soft-bristled toothbrushes that do not irritate the gums, and mouthwashes to rinse the mouth and keep it free from dangerous bacteria.
Dentists also perform professional teeth cleaning during these regular visits. Deep teeth cleaning removes any buildup and stuck food particles that contribute to the development and spread of the bacteria that cause gum disease. It becomes difficult for buildup to form on your gums and teeth if your teeth and gums are clean.
Once you visit your dentist with some signs of gum disease, they will thoroughly examine your gums to determine whether you have the disease. If your suspicion is correct and you have the disease, your dentist will develop a treatment plan to rid your gums of the disease and restore what you have lost to the disease. For example, if your gums have receded significantly, your treatment plan will include medications and strategies to restore your gum’s health.
Find an Experienced Dentist Near Me
Gum disease affects people differently. Some people experience the signs and symptoms during the disease’s onset, while others notice a few signs when the disease is already advanced. Ignoring some of the signs of gum disease is not advisable. It helps to seek the advice and help of a skilled dentist when you are unsure if you have gum disease.
Our experienced team at Tarzana Dental Care has extensive skills and experience handling gum disease at all levels. We work closely with our patients to ensure they have received adequate treatment to stop the signs and completely rid the gums of the disease. We also recommend oral health habits to improve your oral health and keep you safe from gum disease in the future. Call us at 818-708-3232 if you experience any signs of gum disease in Tarzana. Let us examine your teeth and gums and develop the best treatment program for your needs.