Periodontal (Gum) Disease North Syracuse, NY
At Mahar Dental, we want to help you keep your mouth in great shape. We like to educate our patients on how they can keep their mouth healthy. As it turns out, lots of people think that oral health ends at your teeth – this just isn’t true! Your gums are just as critical to your oral health because they support your teeth and offer only a thin barrier between your blood stream and bacterial infection. Gum disease is an infection of the gums and should be taken very seriously. Just as cavities affect your teeth when your oral health is suffering, gum disease affects your gums. What is gum disease?
Gum disease is an infection of your gums. The bacteria in your mouth that feeds on the sugars and acids left behind from your meals are called plaque. The reason we recommend that you brush and floss is to break up and wash away plaque before it builds up on your teeth and gums. When plaque is allowed to build up on your teeth, it can infect them with a cavity if it isn’t brushed or flossed away. Eventually, plaque will begin to build up below the gumline, on the roots of your teeth, which can infect your gums. An infection of your gums is known as gum disease and can result in tooth and bone loss if allowed to progress.
Two Different Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease comes in two different stages – gingivitis (early stage) and periodontitis (late stage). It is important to catch gum disease early or prevent it entirely because once it progresses to the late stage, it is not reversible and you will have to deal with it for the rest of your life.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. If you have gingivitis, there is a good chance that you don’t realize it because irritation and pain are not common symptoms of gingivitis. You may be able to tell if you have gingivitis if:
| • | Your gums look red |
| • | Your gums are swollen |
| • | Gums bleed easily or often |
| • | Teeth are loose |
| • | Constant bad breath |
Gingivitis is a reversible condition that we have the ability to treat as long as we catch it early. If we don’t catch gingivitis and the problem is allowed to worsen it will progress to late stage gum disease, which is known as periodontitis.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is late stage gum disease and can result in the loss of gum tissue, teeth, and bone in the jaw. If you have periodontitis, there is no way to get rid of it, but there are ways to minimize it’s impact on your oral health. At Mahar Dental, we offer scaling and root planing treatments that aim to remove the plaque below the gumline and give you relief from periodontitis.
Always Try to Prevent Gum Disease
The best way to avoid gum disease is with regular brushing and flossing, accompanied by a visit to our office at least once every six months so that we can ensure your continued oral health. We understand that life can be hectic, but urge you to keep your mouth healthy to avoid oral maladies like gum disease.
Please call us today at (315) 766-2770 to schedule an appointment. Remember, we encourage an appointment for regular cleanings and examinations at least once every six months to keep your mouth happy and healthy!
