Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States and nearly 47.2% of people aged 30 years old and older have some stage of periodontal disease. At Massa Dental Center, we believe that the key to a healthy smile is preventive dentistry and treating problems in their earliest stages. With preventive dentistry and early treatments, you reduce your risk for both tooth loss and bone loss.
To prevent gum disease from damaging your oral health, knowing the warning signs of its early stages can help you get treatment early.
If you notice any of the following signs, make sure to contact our Naples dental office for a consultation.
1. Bleeding Gums
One of the first signs you need gum disease treatment will happen when you’re brushing your teeth or chomping on a snack. You might taste a copper taste in your mouth only to realize your gums are bleeding. Bleeding gums can be an indicator that you’re brushing or flossing too hard but it can also be a symptom of gingivitis – the earliest stage of gum disease. Your gums bleed when you have gingivitis because they become inflamed and more sensitive. That means just brushing and flossing, as usual, can irritate them and cause them to bleed.
2. Red, Swollen, or Inflamed Gums
When plaque and tartar build-up along the gum line, it will lead to inflammation. With the inflammation, you might notice your gums look red or swollen and feel tender to touch. Brushing and flossing might feel uncomfortable or even painful. You might notice these signs of gum disease before the bleeding gums, it really depends on how much attention you pay to your gums.
3. Receding Gums
Another sign of gum disease you might experience is receding gums. Gum recession occurs when the gum tissue begins to pull away from the tooth and expose more of the tooth including the tooth root. It can make your teeth look longer and feel more sensitive when exposed to hot or cold temperatures or sweets. As gum recession occurs, it makes it easier for bacteria to build up. This bacteria will continue to destroy gum tissue and the bone responsible for holding your teeth in place.
4. Bad Breath
As plaque and bacteria build up on your teeth, it will cause your breath to stink. This is because bacteria are stinky! If you don’t believe us, next time you floss, take a sniff of your floss to see what we’re talking about. Imagine tons of bacteria that smell like that built up along your gum line. It will cause your breath to smell no matter how much you brush your teeth. The only way to resolve your bad breath is with help from your Naples dentist, usually with a professional dental cleaning or scaling and root planing (deep cleaning).
5. Tooth Sensitivity
With gum recession, your gums will pull away from your teeth and begin to expose the tooth root and dentin of your tooth. This area of your tooth is much more sensitive and will cause a sharp pain whenever it’s exposed to hot or cold temperatures from food, drinks, air, or even sweets. If you have highly sensitive teeth, you might have gum disease.
6. Pus Between Teeth
As gum disease progresses, it can form abscesses between your teeth. An abscess resembles a small red ball that looks like it’s pushing out of swollen gums. Inside this red ball is pus. Abscesses can burst at any time and can feel incredibly painful and cause you to experience a fever. Without antibiotic treatment, the abscess can cause long-term damage to your gums and teeth.
7. Changes in Bite
If your teeth no longer come together like they once used to, this is a result of untreated gum disease. As the disease progresses, it can cause teeth to become loose and shift in your mouth. The bone that holds your teeth in place will also start becoming destroyed which further allows your teeth to shift.
8. Loose Teeth
It’s never a good sign if your teeth are loose unless you still have baby teeth. As your gum disease progresses, your teeth will become looser and potentially fall out if you don’t seek treatment.
Get Gum Disease Treatment in Naples & Ft. Myers, FL
Don’t let gum disease force you to lose your teeth. In addition to losing your teeth, untreated gum disease can also increase your risk of many cardiovascular problems. Our dentists at Massa Dental Center offer gum disease treatment and preventive dentistry’ esc_html=’false for the whole family to help you treat your gum disease and prevent it in the future. We can also help repair all the damage caused by your untreated gum disease.
Please contact our Naples dental office to book your next dental exam and cleaning by calling (239) 597-7333.
