Understanding the Progression of Gum Disease

Gum disease is the inflammation and infection of the gum tissues that needlessly afflicts the oral health of millions of Americans each year. When poor oral hygiene habits fail to remove plaque and stray food particles from your teeth and gumline, they inevitably harden into tartar. This constant bacterial exposure at the gumline causes inflammation and a potential infection of the gum tissues.

Gum disease initially starts out as gingivitis. Common symptoms often include bleeding gums during and after brushing and flossing. The gums might also look red or inflamed. Bad breath is also common for gingivitis sufferers. If it is detected early, gingivitis can be treated by a thorough dental cleaning at Paul L. Evans, DDS.

Improvements to your daily oral hygiene routine and regular attendance to your twice-annual dental checkup are often enough to prevent gingivitis from reoccurring.

If gingivitis is not treated by Dr. Paul L. Evans and followed by improvements in your oral hygiene routine, gum disease will advance. Eventually, it will develop into the most dangerous form of gum disease known as periodontitis.

Periodontitis causes your gums to recede from the base of your teeth, forming pockets of infection deep down at the root. In time, this can even lead to a loss of structure in the bones that anchor your teeth in your mouth.

Continuing research has also found a relationship between periodontitis and medical conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

If you are concerned about being a victim of gum disease in Grass Valley, California, you should call 530.273.4442 to schedule a checkup at Paul L. Evans, DDS.

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