Know When to Seek Periodontal Treatment

Dental care covers more than just teeth. Every aspect of your oral cavity is included in dental care. Overlooking this fact can cause you to suffer some dental problems in silence when there is help available for you. When it comes to caring for your oral health, consider so much your gum tissue. The gums take the largest part of the mouth. Besides, the gum tissue plays a significant role in holding your teeth in place, not to mention supporting functions like mobility. That said, should you suspect an infection in your gums, seek help from any dentist in Edmonton.

What is Periodontal Disease?

It is a term used to refer to the infection of the gum tissue. In layman’s terms, it is called gum disease. However, there are different types of gum infection, depending on how far spread the infection takes. The types are:

1. Gingivitis – This is the very first stage of periodontal disease. Very few people can establish that they have an infection, unless with keenness to details. With early treatment, this is as far your gum disease can go. However, if you are not keen to notice the infection, it advances to a more severe stage.
2. Periodontitis – This is a more severe and advanced stage of gum infection. This stage has far worse consequences for your oral health than gingivitis. The damages caused in this stage can be irreversible and life-changing. This is why we insist on regular dental visits, to help with early detection and diagnosis.

Given what is at stake when your infection progresses, it is important to figure out the right time to visit your dentist. This, however, is only possible if you know what to look out for as regards gum infection.

Signs of Gum Disease

Considering the signs and symptoms of gum infection is the best way to find your footing on when to visit your dentist. The signs will present differently from patient to another. This depends on the individual immune system, not to mention, the stage of infection you are in. some of the common symptoms to consider include:

1. Bleeding around the gums – the gums become tender over time, due to the infection. For this reason. Any slight abrasion can cause bleeding. You are likely to notice this when you brush your teeth or bite on hard foods.
2. Swollen and inflamed gums – inflammation is a typical response of your immune system to anomalies, especially infections. If your gums feel swollen without a particular reason, it could be because of gum disease.
3. Pain when chewing – since the gums are swollen and tender, it may get uncomfortable chewing foods.
4. Bad breath – the infection in your mouth will cause an odor. Usually, the smell does not go away even after brushing your teeth.
5. Mouth sores – the mouth sores are usually recurrent. However, it can be difficult to tell apart a mouth sore caused by oral cancer, and one caused by gum infection. This is why you have to seek help from a dental expert, for proper diagnosis.
6. Loose teeth – if this is happening to you, you may be running out of time to save yourself from the effects of gum infection. Having loose teeth is an indicator of periodontitis. If you feel like the stability of your teeth is not guaranteed, call your dentist immediately before you lose the teeth.

What Causes Gum Disease?

Overall, there is one main factor linked to periodontal disease. It is usually due to poor oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene allows the formation of plaque on the surfaces of teeth. Technically, plaque is a combination of food residues, acids, saliva and live bacteria in your mouth. The more you allow these things to remain in your mouth, the higher the build-up of plaque. Plaque then goes ahead to cause other oral problems like dental decay, and periodontal disease. If you can keep up with proper oral health, then you have a lesser risk of getting gum disease than other people. Other than that, some risks factors that could lead to gum disease include:

1. Tobacco usage – including smoking and chewing.
2. Excessive consumption of alcohol.
3. Genetic factors

Compromised immune system – leading to health issues that result in periodontal disease.