What is gum disease and what causes it?
Gum disease (or periodontal disease) is a loss of the bone and gums that surround and support the teeth. In advanced stages, this can lead to pain and tooth loss. Gum disease is caused by chronic buildup of plaque and calculus (tartar) on the crown and roots of the teeth. In the early stages, this buildup causes inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) and can make the gums tender and bleed. As this inflammation goes on continually, it worsens and causes the gums to pull away from the teeth, eventually leading to gum recession and bone loss. Once the bone loss gets advanced, teeth become loose because they have no more support and need to be removed. In most cases, this bone and gum loss is irreversible so prevention is extremely important in maintaining your teeth. Regular professional cleanings at your dentist’s office ensure that calculus buildup (which cannot be removed with a toothbrush) is removed before it can cause bone and gum loss.
Gum disease is the dental disease known as periodontal disease or pyoria. It causes destruction of the jawbone that anchors and roots teeth. Gum disease is preventable, but most adults show signs of it. Toxins (poisons) produced by bacteria promote the damage to jawbone. In advanced stages teeth loosen and drift, gums bleed and swell, and foul odor occurs. Pain may not be present. Brushing thoroughly three times a day removes the harmful bacteria. Flossing removes plaque (complex sticky bacteria) missed by brushing alone. One should floss every day. Proper brushing and flossing is the best prevention for gum disease. Identification of periodontal disease is done with x-ray, inspection and observation. If the infection and inflammation of gum disease gets too deep, teeth may require removal. Early stage deep cleaning treatment preliminarily can halt the disease, but bone loss is lasting. Periodontal disease can be subtle. It can occur in isolated areas.
Gum disease is the dental disease known as periodontal disease or pyoria. It causes destruction of the jawbone that anchors and roots teeth. Gum disease is preventable, but most adults show signs of it. Toxins (poisons) produced by bacteria promote the damage to jawbone. In advanced stages teeth loosen and drift, gums bleed and swell, and foul odor occurs. Pain may not be present. Brushing thoroughly three times a day removes the harmful bacteria. Flossing removes plaque (complex sticky bacteria) missed by brushing alone. One should floss every day. Proper brushing and flossing is the best prevention for gum disease. Identification of periodontal disease is done with x-ray, inspection and observation. If the infection and inflammation of gum disease gets too deep, teeth may require removal. Early stage deep cleaning treatment preliminarily can halt the disease, but bone loss is lasting. Periodontal disease can be subtle. It can occur in isolated areas. It can disappear and reappear. It
