Gum disease is a complicated yet dangerous and serious dental issue that can severely damage your smile and oral health. This disease is so complicated, in fact, that it has a total of two stages. Those stages are gingivitis and periodontitis.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease that is also the mildest stage. It begins when you fail to remove the plaque from the surfaces of your teeth with regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing as well as regular visits to your dental office. The plaque irritates your gums and makes them red and swollen. It even makes them bleed easily when you brush and floss and also causes consistent bad breath. The best way to reverse this disease is to receive a professional dental cleaning and make improvements to your daily oral hygiene routine.
Periodontitis
If gingivitis is left untreated, it can advance to the more serious form of gum disease, which is known as periodontitis. This develops when the plaque turns into a bacterial-rich substance known as tartar. The tartar severely irritates the gums and makes them pull away from the teeth, creating pockets. Then, the pockets fill with infection and the tartar spreads underneath the gumline. As time passes, the tartar destroys the underlying bone and tissues, causing loose and lost teeth. The only ways to treat this stage is to receive laser periodontal therapy, undergo scaling and root planing treatments, and take prescribed antibiotics.
As you can see, the best thing you can do is prevent this disease as much as possible. To help you do so, our Findlay Dental Group dental team encourages you to be diligent in your oral hygiene routine and visit Dr. Kathryn Lewis every six months for a routine cleaning and exam.
If you have any questions about gum disease in Findlay, Ohio, or if you need to schedule an appointment, please call our office at 419-423-0343 and talk to a member of our dental team. We are happy to help you in any way we can, and we look forward to your phone call.