Periodontal Disease and Its Impact on Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Periodontal disease is an infection and inflammation of your gums supporting your teeth. It results from poor dental hygiene, but some people are more susceptible to the condition. The symptoms of periodontal disease include bad breath, bleeding and swollen gums, and loose teeth. Depending on the severity of the disorder, there are many treatments to manage the infection.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease, alternatively called gum disease, indicates infections of the tissues supporting your teeth. Inappropriate dental hygiene results in gum disease. However, despite practicing excellent dental hygiene, some people are more susceptible to the condition.

Approximately 50 percent of American adults have some form of periodontal disease, making it the primary cause of adult tooth loss.

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

The symptoms of periodontal disease include reddish and purplish gums, bad breath, bleeding, unpleasant taste, painful chewing, gum recession, changes in how your teeth fit together, and loose teeth besides soreness.

Stages of Periodontal Disease

If your gums are healthy, they remain firm to the touch without bleeding or swelling. However, periodontal disease causes discolored, swollen, and bleeding gums. If left untreated, periodontal disease destroys your underlying jawbone resulting in tooth loss.

The breakup of issues around your teeth occurs gradually, making it challenging for you to realize you have gum disease because you experience no pain from the infection, making it essential to know the early warning signs of the condition.

Gum disease progresses in stages starting from:

• Gingivitis: Gingivitis is the earliest phase of gum disease, starting with reddish and puffy gums with bleeding when brushing and flossing. Bone loss does not occur with gingivitis making it a reversible condition with treatment from a dentist near you.
• Mild Periodontitis: bacteria in your mouth seep beneath the gums to affect the supporting bone when you develop mild periodontitis. Your gums start pulling away from your teeth, causing pockets around them. Dental plaque and bacteria populate the pockets because your toothbrush and floss cannot clean the area.
• Moderate Periodontitis: When you leave mild periodontitis untreated, your mouth bacteria start eroding the ligaments, soft tissues, and bone holding your teeth. You will notice bad breath and pus around the gum line and may also experience pain.
• Advanced Periodontitis: bone loss continues as periodontal disease progresses to advanced periodontitis. Your teeth become loose to fall out eventually.

How to Overcome Periodontal Disease?

Gum disease is a preventable condition and is also reversible if treated early. However, if the infection has caused bone loss around your teeth, the disease has progressed and is irreversible. Therefore, the only option you can choose is to manage the illness with appropriate treatment from periodontal disease in Westchase, TX, and persistent at-home dental hygiene practices.

The Causes of Periodontal Disease

Dental plaque constantly forming on your teeth is the #1 cause of periodontal disease. Dental plaque contains different types of bacteria that potentially infect your gums. You are more susceptible to developing gum disease if you do not maintain proper oral hygiene as your dentist suggests. Genetic factors are also responsible for periodontal disease in some people by changing the immune system’s responses to bacteria.

Risk Factors of Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease has multiple risk factors, which include smoking or tobacco use, poor dental hygiene, diabetes, hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, genetics, stress, heart disease, and autoimmune conditions like lupus, scleroderma, and Crohn’s disease.

Periodontal disease bacteria can pass between individuals. While it is not a viral infection, it can spread through repeated contact through saliva from habits like kissing to increase the risk of developing the condition.

Complications of Periodontal Disease on Your Oral Hygiene Routine

If you leave periodontal disease untreated, the condition continues worsening to wreak havoc on your oral health resulting in a vicious cycle of infection to cause tooth loss eventually.

Tooth loss confirms you require replacements for missing teeth unless you wish to display a toothless grin. Research indicates that periodontal disease also impacts your overall health and well-being. Links have been established between periodontal disease and other health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Diagnosis of Periodontal Disease

If you schedule regular appointments for checkups and cleanings with the Westchase dentists, they can recognize the symptoms of periodontal disease during your routine exam. They look for plaque buildup on your teeth and inquire about your symptoms. In addition, they will likely discuss the consequences of periodontal disease on your oral and overall health and suggest treating the condition immediately before it progresses to advanced levels.

Can Dentists Cure the Infection?

If detected in the earliest stages, dentists can reverse gingivitis if you maintain appropriate at-home dental hygiene practices and see them more frequently for exams and cleaning. Unfortunately, if the infection has progressed to cause structural support loss around your teeth, the disease has no cure. Therefore the optimal option is to prevent periodontal disease from affecting you by maintaining excellent dental hygiene and visiting dentists for regular checkups and cleanings as the dentist suggests.

If you notice the symptoms of periodontal disease described in this article, kindly arrange an appointment with AK Dentistry to start receiving treatment for the infection before it progresses to advanced levels. Receiving early treatment for periodontal disease reduces its impact on your oral hygiene and allows you to retain your natural teeth.