Day and night, gum disease is caused by a massive amount of microorganisms are active in our mouths, which also creates bad breath, and canker sores on your gums. Inflamed, bleeding gums or inexplicable bad breath are the warning signs of bacterial assault.
Severe problems in your general health can take place as infection rates rise, and this problems should be taken very seriously.
Medical studies have recognized a significant connection between gum issues and halitosis, and other disorders, including:
- Increased occurrence of heart attack or stroke
- Low birth-weight babies
- Premature delivery for pregnant women
This problem is persistent, progressive, and even vicious. When you’re diagnosed with periodontal disease, it seems like you’re in the dentist’s office all the time.
The treatment seems to be non-stop because the periodontal disease progression is ongoing, so it’s important that you keep every appointment. Your dentist can tell you all you need to know about treatment.
Gingivitis and Periodontitis
Also commonly periodontal disease, gingivitis describes the events that start with bacterial growth in your mouth and may end – if not correctly treated – with tooth loss owing to damage to the tissue that surrounds your teeth.
Gingivitis and periodontitis are in fact two separate stages of gum disease, with gingivitis usually preceding periodontitis.
Previously known as Pyorrhea alveolaris, periodontitis is the name for a group of inflammatory diseases upsetting the tissues that encircle and hold up the teeth. It is an inflammation of the periodontium, one of the four tissues that support the teeth in the mouth:
- The gingiva, or gum tissue
- The cementum, a bonelike substance covering the roots of the teeth
- The alveolar bone, or the bony hollows into which the teeth are attached
- The periodontal ligaments, which are the connective tissue fibers that connect the cementum and gingiva to the alveolar bone.
More than 75 percent of Americans over 35 have some form of gum disease. The primary cause is plaque, a pale, sticky film that contains harmful bacteria.
Harris Interactive, Inc. recently polled 1000 people over the age of 35, and found that 60 percent of those surveyed knew little, if anything, about gum disease, the warning signs, available treatments, and, most importantly, the consequences.
You’re not alone if you suffer from this potentially debilitating problem. About 80 percent of US adults currently have some form of the disease. The good news is that it can often be treated successfully.
A special cleaning, called “scaling and root planning,” is the first non-surgical step, and this removes plaque and tartar deposits on the tooth and root surfaces. Your dentist may also suggest medicine to help control infection and pain, or to aid in healing.