The Progression of Gum Disease
Gum disease does not just happen all at once or sneak up on a person out of the blue. Gum disease is a problem that goes through a variety of stages and can start mild and then can become more serious and chronic as time passes. That is why it is so important to catch it at its earliest stage, in order to prevent further damage to the teeth, gums and surrounding bone.
Gum disease is a progressive problem that can become chronic if not kept in check. If your gums have a tendency to bleed when you brush and floss your teeth, even if it is only a little bit, then this is the precursor or the first sign of gum disease. Gingivitis (pronounced jin-juh-vy-tus) is the mildest form of gum disease and is a clear signal that trouble is setting in and the sooner you do something about it the better. Other early signs of gum disease include tenderness of the gum area, puffy and swollen gums and tenderness of the gums. These are all signs of concern and warrant a trip to the dentist office.
If you are the kind of person who does not brush your teeth as often as you should or if you are not as conscientious in your brushing as you ought to be, and don’t get rid of plaque from the teeth every day then it will eventually harden on the teeth and take up permanent residence. The plaque will develop into a crust that is known as tartar (also sometimes called calculus). Once tartar begins to develop on the teeth, it begins to destroy the delicate tissue of the gums and by so doing, the gums begin to bleed very easily and the gum are no longer able to support the teeth as they once did. Teeth then begin to pull away from the gums. Once this starts to take place, the gum disease has then become more serious.
Periodontitis is the name given to the more harmful and advanced form of gum disease that sets in if not caught early on. In this stage, the gums become weaker and pockets form around the base of the affected teeth. These pockets are prime areas for bacteria to gather. At this stage, the gums are less able to fight off any type of bacteria or virus.
As gum disease continues to spread in the mouth, it becomes more and more destructive to the teeth and gums. The deeper tissues of the gums sustain damage and in the most extreme cases, it spreads even further to the jawbone that helps to support the teeth and keep everything in the mouth in place. Teeth then loosen and fall out very easily because there is nothing to support them in the mouth.
The longer gum disease is left undiagnosed and untreated, the worse it will become. This is a disease that will not reach a point and level off. Instead it will just keep getting worse and worse. It cannot be emphasized enough, learn to recognize the early warning signs of gum disease and do something about it as soon as you possibly can.
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