What Are the Common Signs of Gum Disease?

Gum disease is not a rare condition in dentistry. Many people suffer from the disease, only that it manifests differently. Depending on the signs and symptoms you are experiencing, it is easy to overlook gum disease. Dental experts spend a huge part of their career sensitizing and educating their patients on the importance of regular dental checkups. If everyone would consider making regular trips to a dental facility, then gum disease is beatable. While this may sound easier said than done, dental experts have proven that proactive measures like proper dental hygiene go a long way in fighting gum disease and all affiliate dental problems.

More About Gum Disease

It is a condition that features the infection of the periodontium, which largely covers the gum tissue. This disease has a medical term, periodontal disease, to cover the different aspects of the infection.

The thing about gum disease is that it manifests differently among different patients. Some will experience more severe symptoms than others. This can be explained by differences in the Immunity of individuals, along with different stages of gum disease.

Stages of Gum Disease

The main reason why patients get overwhelmed with gum infection is that it happens in different stages. At first, the infection might not bother you. As you allow it time, the bacteria spread out to different parts of your oral cavity, infecting your entire gum tissue. The stages of gum disease have been categorized into two:

• Gingivitis – is the most common stage. It is also the initial stage of the infection, where patients experience mild symptoms. In fact, this stage can be too mild that you have a hard time detecting it. While this stage may not quite threaten your entire oral health, allowing it to progress may leave permanent dents in your oral cavity.
• Periodontitis – it is an advanced stage of gum disease. At this stage, you can no longer ignore the infection. Every possible symptom of gum disease is more severe and pronounced at this stage. Some of the symptoms can cause irreversible oral problems that will have you regretting why you let it go on for so long.

Signs and Symptoms Of Periodontal Disease

One of the factors that make gum disease hard to detect is the varying symptoms. From one point to another you are likely to have a series of different signs, some more severe than others. The most common ones are the following:

• Bleeding gums – this is one of the most identifiable signs, even in the early stages. Bleeding will be evident from part of your gum tissue, particularly when biting on hard foods, or when brushing your teeth.
• Swollen and tender gums – the body’s immune system is usually quick to respond with inflammation when there is an infection detected. The severe Ness of the swelling, however, will differ from patient to another and be influenced by the progression of the infection.
• Bad breath – this is particularly true for an infection that develops put of poor oral hygiene. The plaque built up on your teeth and gums will also cause bad smell in your mouth.
• Mouth sores – these will resemble typical canker sores. The difference will be seen in how long they take to heal, and how often they recur. The mouth sores can make your life very uncomfortable, especially every time you try to chew something.
• Pain – if you thought mouth sores were a problem, wait until the pain spreads all over your gum tissue. The pain will be experienced in all the areas where your gum tissue is infected. You are likely to notice this when you chew on foods.
• Receding gums – when the gum tissue is infected, it pulls away from the tooth. This not only compromises the support of your teeth but also exposes the roots of your teeth to infection and damage.
• Shaky teeth – as soon as the gum tissue starts to recede, the stability of your teeth is compromised. Besides that, this infection affects your bone tissue, which means that your jawbone is also in trouble. When the infection gets to your jawbone, it causes thinning out of the bone tissue, which further compromises the stability of your teeth. This is the reason your teeth may start to feel shaky and wobbly. As the infection progresses, this shaking can escalate to falling off of teeth.