Do You Have These Periodontal Disease Symptoms?
When looking in the mirror, are your gums healthy and pink or red and inflamed? Depending on what your answer is, you may have periodontal disease or periodontitis. Individuals who are smokers, have type 2 diabetes or have conditions that affect the immune system are at higher risk of having periodontal disease.
What is Periodontitis?
Also known as gum disease, periodontitis is a severe gum disease that damages the soft tissue and can destroy the bone if left untreated. In addition, periodontal disease can cause teeth to come loose or fall out.
Periodontal disease breaks down into four separate stages: gingivitis, slight periodontal disease, moderate periodontal disease, and advanced periodontal disease. The first stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis. It is the only stage in the four levels that individuals can reverse since it hasn’t had time to attack the bones.
Luckily, people who find themselves with periodontal disease can have successful treatments. However, it is always best for individuals to prevent the beginning stages of periodontitis by brushing twice daily, flossing, and having regular dental check-ups.
The Symptoms
Depending on the severity of the periodontitis, symptoms may vary. Here is a list of some of the most common symptoms that patients with periodontal disease show:
- Bleeding gums
- Inflamed gums
- Bad breath
- Red or purple gums
- Pain when chewing
- Tooth loss
- Loose teeth
- Blood when brushing teeth
- Plaque buildup
- Receding gums
What are the causes?
There are hundreds of different types of bacteria found in a healthy individual’s mouth. These bacteria are primarily harmless unless left in the mouth to grow and build up from poor oral hygiene. When the mouth isn’t cleaned correctly, the following can begin to occur:
- Bacteria in the mouth can multiply
- The body will react to the excess bacteria causing inflammation
- The root of the tooth and gums is disturbed
Get Checked Out
We highly recommend making an appointment with your dental hygienist for those that have a few or many of these symptoms. If periodontitis has caused other oral health issues, we’re here to take your call. To contact Dr. Pollock today at Rockwall Oral Surgery, please call us at (469) 264-8921 or via email at info@dentalimplantsurgery.com. If needed, individuals can schedule an appointment. We’d love to work towards showing off your smile!
