5 Signs That You Need Periodontal Treatment
When people talk about dental health, hardly do they ever refer to other parts of the oral cavity other than the teeth. As long as they care for their teeth, people take it that they are excelling in oral health
Quite the contrary, oral health covers all aspects of the oral cavity including the gum tissue. The gum tissue, medically referred to as the periodontium, is a large part of your mouth. Without proper care, you can get an infection, sometimes serious enough to become a dental emergency.
Understanding Gum Disease
It is an infection of the gum tissue. At the onset of the disease, the infection only harms the gums. However, as it worsens, the infection spreads deeper in your oral cavity, attacking the different layers thereof.
Gum disease happens in two main stages:
- Gingivitis – is the initial and rather non-threatening stage of the infection. At this stage, only the gums are affected. Many patients with gingivitis go without noticing it for a long while since the symptoms are minimal, of any. At this stage, using mouthwash or over-the-counter medication can help combat the infection.
- Periodontitis – is the more advanced stage of gum disease. It is a very serious oral health problem that attacks the gums as well as the bone tissue of your mouth. This means that the infection causes a significant deterioration of your jawbone, compromising the health of your teeth thereof. At this stage, it is impossible to downplay or overlook the infection, which can only be treated by the Sanger dentist in charge of periodontal treatment.
Do You Need Gum Disease Treatment?
Unless you are aware of an infection in your mouth, you are not likely to seek treatment. Going to a dentist is the best way to get examined and receive the correct diagnosis for whether you have gum disease or not. Still, if you look out for the following symptoms you should have a clue on whether you need periodontics service and treatment thereof:
- Bleeding gums – be keen to examine your toothbrush after your brush your teeth. Unless you have an open wound, there shouldn’t be any blood on your toothbrush. You may also notice bleeding on your gums when chewing or biting hard foods.
- Soreness and pain in your gums – if you experience some soreness and discomfort when you chew food, then you may have infected gums.
- Bad breath – mouth odor is common among patients with poor oral hygiene. However, when you have an infection in your mouth, the bacteria thereof will cause your breath to stink. The bad odor persists even after brushing your teeth.
- Receding gums – it is when the gum tissue pulls away from teeth because of the infection. One of the ways you can tell that your gums are receding is by checking the size of your teeth. As the gums draw away from your teeth, your teeth will appear larger than usual.
- Mouth sores – are usually recurrent and don’t go away easily. Be particularly keen to evaluate the kind of mouth sores you have, as some of them can be indicators of a more serious condition, oral cancer.
- Shaky teeth – this happens only with the advanced stage of infection. Since Periodontitis attacks the bone tissue, it weakens the foundation for which teeth are supported. This is why you may start experiencing some shakiness with your teeth. In some cases, teeth may start falling off since the bone tissue is severely damaged.
- Dental cavities – the bacteria responsible for the infection of your gum tissue can proceed to attack the structure of your teeth. You may soon realize cavities on your teeth, which can advance to a serious case of dental decay.
Summary
When it comes to gum disease, seeking treatment early is the only way to ensure you do not risk sabotaging your entire oral health. The longer you leave an infection unattended, the further it spreads, and the worse the symptoms become. Besides, if you visit a dentist near you early, you can avoid invasive treatment options for periodontal disease, like flap or pocket reduction surgery.