Tips And Best Practices On How To Recognize And Avoid Periodontal Disease
Keeping our teeth strong and healthy is an important part of not only our oral health, but our overall well being. Making sure our teeth and gums are brushed, flossed, and rinsed daily ensures that we’re doing all the right things to keep away cavities and conditions such as periodontal disease.
But what is periodontal disease and how do you know what it looks like if you have it? What are the best practices to avoid getting periodontal disease? In this article, we’re going to delve a little deeper into:
- What periodontal disease is (and what causes it)
- Who can get periodontal disease
- What periodontal disease looks like
- Best ways to avoid periodontal disease
- How to treat periodontal disease
What Is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease: what it is and what causes it
Periodontal disease is also referred to as gum disease, and it occurs when your gums become infected and inflamed. This infection of your gums is not something to be taken lightly, as if it is left untreated, can potentially spread to other parts of your body. In addition, periodontal disease can not only be painful, but it can cause your teeth to loosen and possibly fall out.
But what causes gum disease? Usually this type of infection is caused by a buildup of plaque, which is the sticky film that is always present on our teeth. If the plaque is not properly removed (along with other food debris) after we eat and drink on a daily basis, it keeps feeding the bacteria. This cycle keeps repeating itself until the plaque hardens into tartar, and the bacteria infection continues to worsen.
As unfortunate as all this sounds, it’s reassuring to know that periodontal disease is preventable. If you have a good oral hygiene routine that involves brushing twice a day, flossing, rinsing with mouthwash, and visiting your dentist for checkups, you’re doing a lot to keep gum disease away. There are a few stages of gum disease (more on that below), which is why it’s helpful to learn how to recognize the signs of it. When caught early, it can be treated and you can avoid the swollen gums, loose teeth, and even potential tooth loss.
Periodontal disease is a serious condition that manifests an infection in your mouth. If not treated properly, it can spread to other areas of your body as well.
When dentists speak about periodontal disease, they typically divide it into two groups based on the severity of the condition:
Gingivitis: This is an infection of the gums that can be treated. Bleeding is the greatest indicator of gum infection. At this stage you will notice inflamed and swollen gums.
Periodontitis: As the disease progresses if it is left untreated in the gingivitis stage, it will eventually develop into periodontitis. It causes irreversible damage to the supporting structures of teeth. This can result in loosened teeth, bone loss, and tooth loss.
