Want to understand what gum disease can do to one’s mouth? Once someone is diagnosed with this oral disease, there are many ways it can cause them to experience bad overall dental health. Patients who are diagnosed can ask their general dentist any specific questions they have about preventing and treating gum disease, as prevention is the key to good oral health.
How gum disease starts
Understanding how gum disease starts is a great idea, as this can help dental patients know how to prevent themselves from being diagnosed with gum disease in the first place. There are four main stages of gum disease: gingivitis, slight periodontal disease, moderate periodontal disease and advanced periodontal disease. Gingivitis is the first stage, which starts due to poor oral care habits. When one’s teeth are not properly cared for, plaque will begin to build up, which turns into a hard substance known as tartar. When gum disease is not addressed in a timely manner, it will eventually cause damage to one’s soft tissues and bone tissue.
Untreated gum disease
When gum disease goes untreated, it will not go away and instead will only continue to worsen over time. This is due to the ongoing infection in one’s mouth, which means their mouth is full of bad bacteria. Infections also cause inflammation, which further declines one’s oral health. The fact that gum disease can cause many different types of damage to one’s mouth makes it essential to make regular dental appointments to ensure one’s oral health is in good shape.
Soft tissue damage
Gum disease will eventually cause damage to one’s soft tissues in the mouth, which essentially means that they will lose a certain amount of gum tissue. Gum recession is to be avoided, as when the gums begin to recede, there is not only a loss of gum tissue, but it also exposes the roots of one’s teeth which can lead to their experiencing even more problems. When the gum line begins to recede, they may be in need of a soft tissue graft in order to repair any soft tissue damage.
Bone damage
Cases of severe gum disease often lead to one experiencing bone damage. This type of damage occurs when one experiences deep pockets of gum disease, which will eventually lead to their experiencing some degree of bone loss. It is possible for an experienced dentist to recontour the bone by performing pocket reduction surgery. Since it is possible for gum disease to destroy the bone surrounding the roots of the teeth, when this type of damage happens, bone grafting is often the next step.
Is gum disease damaging your mouth?
Now that you have read the above information, it is understood that gum disease can damage the soft tissues in the mouth, as well as the bone. Since experiencing any type of mouth damage means one does not have a healthy mouth, it is essential for everyone to make regular dental check-up appointments to be aware of the current health of their gums.
Request an appointment here: http://www.jaredsmithdmd.com or call Jared M. Smith DMD at (719) 298-4214 for an appointment in our Canon City office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Gum Disease in Canon City, CO.
Related Posts
Preventive dentistry goes beyond undergoing dental checkups and cleanings twice a year. Read on to learn how preventive dentistry can protect against various oral health issues. You ensure a lifetime of good oral health and ultimately your general health if you keep those regular checkups. Preventive dental care checkups help you stay proactive in many…
Some people may not realize how improper oral care can have a negative impact on their overall health. Untreated tooth decay does not heal without treatment and usually worsens over time. When those with multiple cavities ignore their dental needs, they may be putting themselves at risk for a variety of other medical problems, some…
Dentists have long recognized an oral health connection to overall health. The body’s systems are interrelated and affect one another. Long-term dental problems impact the immune system and other metabolic functions. It is the view of the American Dental Association that infections often enter the body through the mouth.A long-term infection in the gum taxes…
CEREC® crowns tackle dental health and cosmetic problems, often at the same time. This type of crown is popular for its convenience. The computer-aided design and manufacture of CEREC crowns reduces fabrication time to a few short hours. This makes it possible for a patient to walk into a dental office with a toothache and…