The stages of gum disease

Gum disease is just one of the most common diseases that infect most adults but not all gum diseases are the same. More likely, they start from the same condition and worsen into more difficult situations overtime, eventually leading to worse consequences such as receding gums. What we will be determining are the stages of gum disease and what one should do to ensure that our gums are healthy and they remain healthy.

When our teeth are not taken care of properly, most specifically when we don’t clean our teeth after meals, there will be a buildup of bacteria in the form of plaque – which is a small, thin layer of sticky substance found on the surface of the teeth. This can be cleaned off simply by brushing or flossing but when left for a long time, could turn into tartar, which is the same substance, hardened enough to be difficult to remove just by brushing or flossing. This in time leads to an infection wherein bacteria attacks and starts to eat up on both the teeth and gums, causing certain symptoms.

These symptoms that you would be looking for are mostly related to extreme sensitivity of the gums and can be identified with: bleeding gums or gums that easily bleed when touched or when tooth brushing, swollen, discolored and painful gums, and bad breath caused by bacteria. This early stage of gum disease is referred to as gingivitis –it is not as severe as the other stages so this type of gum disease could sometimes go unnoticed, making it a real hassle when undetected.

Periodontitis is what you could think of as the second stage of gum disease and it is when the initial symptoms of gingivitis worsen and become more severe. One would usually get an extreme sensitivity or painful teeth and gums when drinking hot or cold drinks, and bad breath that’s even worse and doesn’t go away. During this stage, it is extremely recommended that one should do their best to find ways, natural or not, to address gum disease or it could lead to receding gums.

What is usually left for germs to do when they’re all over your mouth are to start eating up the supporting tissues that hold the teeth and this is when receding gums happen. This stage is pretty troublesome as you may find that the lost gums are irreversible and the only thing a patient can do to minimize damages is to seek immediate help and improve their dental care methods. Therefore, even during the initial symptoms of gum disease, one must immediately seek help from a dentist.

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