Understanding Periodontal Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention

​Periodontal disease is a health epidemic that is affecting a wide proportion of the adult population. Periodontal disease is the advanced form of gum disease and there is an urgent need for relevant information about its effects and how to prevent it.

​Since around 75 percent of adult Americans have developed some form of gum disease, there is a clear need for simple and easy-to-understand information about this condition and how to protect your oral health.

Plaque And Bacteria

Your mouth is home to a lot of bacteria – some of it good and some of it potentially damaging. Much of the damaging bacteria come from the food that you eat and the food particles that are left over from eating. These bacteria need to be removed daily through your oral health routine. If not they accumulate and can damage your gum tissue.

When the bacteria flourish in your mouth it mixes with your saliva and this creates a sticky, yellowy substance called plaque. This clings to your teeth and irritates the gums causing inflammation and swelling of the gum tissue. Over time when plaque builds up it hardens and becomes tartar, which is a substance that can only be removed from the teeth by your dentist.

Bacteria, plaque and tartar work together to infect the gum tissue and potentially destroy the gum bone and damage your teeth. When the gum tissue becomes severely infected, the teeth can become wobbly and you may even lose your natural teeth.

The Early Stages Of Gum Disease

Gum disease is divided into two key stages – gingivitis, the early stage of the condition, and periodontal disease, which is the advanced stage of the condition. There are a couple of clear, early symptoms of gingivitis that you should be on the lookout for. They include:

• Redness on the gums
• Swelling and inflammation of the gum tissue
• Bleeding especially after brushing your teeth
• Constant bad breath
• Bad taste in your mouth

If you notice any of these symptoms, then it is time to visit the dentist for a check-up and for them to make a diagnosis. Your dentist is able to offer a deep clean to remove the plaque and tartar on the teeth and gums and to suggest an appropriate treatment plan.

Periodontitis

At this stage, there is a risk of long-lasting damage to your oral health. You will most likely need to undergo some form of dental intervention – be it surgical or non-surgical.

Your dentist will have to determine the level of the condition and how you can best restore your oral health before you lose your natural teeth and suffer serious infection.