Gum Disease: Locating a Silent Adversary

Gum disease is often a silent disease. It can progress painlessly and in the later stages of the disease, you still may not notice the subtle signs that point to serious problems. That means that gum disease can creep up on you from the shadows. Don’t allow this to happen! A simple check-up in our office can detect signs of gum disease, allowing us to help you develop a plan to stop it in its tracks. Halting the progression of this disease is very important. If it is allowed to progress, the procedures we must use to stop it become more invasive, leading to more expense and pain down the road.

Give us a call if you notice any of these gum disease indicators or if it has been a while since you had your gums examined:

• Bleeding gums during/after tooth brushing or flossing. Unless you’re brushing extremely hard (bad for your enamel) you shouldn’t be bleeding from your gums. We can help you determine if the blood that you notice in the sink is connected to gum disease.
• Red, swollen, or tender gums. Changes in the appearance of gum tissue or sensitive gums are also common symptoms of gum disease. Some patients may even have receding gums.
• Persistent bad breath. Your bad breath may not just be because of the coffee you had this morning. Bad flossing habits can lead to plaque collecting in the area between teeth making them especially prone to gum inflammation. Another symptom similar to this is a bad taste in the mouth that won’t go away.
• Loose or shifting teeth. Some people with periodontal disease may experience movement or migration of their teeth. The rate of movement will depend on the particular type of gum disease you have. This can make major changes to the way your teeth fit together and your smile overall. Help us to catch this symptom early!

Depending on the type of gum disease, some of the available treatment options include:

• Removal of plaque and calculus through scaling.
• Medication.
• Surgery in order to stop or minimize the progression.

If you are concerned that you may have gum disease, contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about the disease. Call us today!