Gum disease is a condition which affects many people around the world, even though it’s easily preventable. The problem with such a condition is that the early symptoms may sometimes be very mild, which means that one could easily neglect them. By the time the condition becomes severe, it may be too late to fix it cheaply, and you may even end up losing a few teeth. Making sure that you identify the signs of gum disease and getting help as soon as possible will help you avoid most of these problems. These three signs could indicate that you have gum disease include:
Bad breath
One of the commonest causes of bad breath is gum disease, especially if plaque is involved. In such cases, the fact that brushing your teeth regularly does not get rid of the plaque means that even if you do this, you will still have the bad breath. If this is an issue that you have always had a problem with, you don’t have to resign yourself to this fate; just consult us and we’ll find out how to treat the problem.
Bleeding gums
When gums are irritated, they tend to become more delicate, and thus bleed after brushing. This is not a normal occurrence, so if you have been suffering from it it would be a good idea for you to seek help. Normally, getting rid of plaque and treating the gums is all that is needed to stop the bleeding completely, and also make brushing your teeth a more comfortable experience.
An increasing gap between your teeth
The gums are the principal structures that keep the teeth together. If they are diseased, they may fail in performing this function and this means that your teeth will start separating or dropping off altogether. If you notice that the gap between your teeth is increasing (such as when you have to put more effort in removing food stuck between the teeth), it might indicate that it’s time to have your gums checked. Doing this sooner rather than later will make the outcome better for you.
When your bite changes
Everyone usually has a normal ‘feel’ for their teeth, which means that even if one is misaligned, this will be noticed. If you realize that you have an odd feel in the way your teeth are positioned especially when you close your mouth, chances are that a gum disease will be implicated in causing the movement. In such cases, visiting us as soon as possible will enable us to find out what the problem is and treat it so that you are more comfortable.
Most of these problems can be avoided by simply making sure that you take care of your teeth well. However, this does not mean simply brushing your teeth twice a day; you also need to visit us for scaling and polishing to get rid of plaque. This normally harbours the bacteria that are responsible for causing gum disease, and cannot be removed by regular brushing.