What Are The Symptoms Of Gum Diseases?

Your dental health does not deal with the wellbeing of your teeth alone. In Brooklin Village Dental care, we are as concerned with your teeth as with your tongue, neck, jaw, muscles of the head, salivary gums, nervous systems of the head and neck, and gums because they are all organs/areas of dental care. Therefore, these parts of your oral health should be given adequate care, like the teeth, because they can also be affected by dental infections and diseases. The primary cause of these dental infections and conditions is the infestation of the mouth by bacteria, viruses, and pathogens as a result of inadequate and improper care of the mouth and the oral organs in it.

Dental plaques, for example, are formed as a result of the interaction of saliva, food particles, and bacteria in the mouth. Dental plaques are slimy films of bacteria that stick to the front surface of the teeth. These bacteria feed on sugary and starchy remnants of food particles in the mouth to produce acids. These acids wear down the tooth enamel and cause decay. Tooth decay is a common dental problem that cuts across people of all ages. It can lead to dental cavities (tiny holes in the teeth), halitosis (bad breath), tooth loss, and other severe dental and medical health condition. However, dental plaques do not only lead to tooth decay. It leads to other worse dental problems such as gum diseases.

Gum disease is divided into two stages. The first stage is gingivitis, and it is a mild state of gum disease. It occurs when the gums are inflamed from the heavy presence of dental plaques in the mouth. Gingivitis is characterized by bleeding from the gums while brushing and flossing. Untreated gingivitis worsens and becomes periodontitis. Periodontitis occurs when the infection of the gums from gingivitis extends to the bone. Periodontitis is a complicated stage of gum disease in which there is damage to the soft tissues and bones that support the teeth as a result of untreated gingivitis.

The underlying bones of the teeth get infected, and this causes the gums to start receding away from the teeth. Deep gum pockets that collect plaque and bacteria are formed, and more bone loss occurs because these pockets are tough to clean. Untreated, periodontal disease advances and causes the loss of more bone tissues. That may eventually lead to tooth loss as gum pockets become deeper and cause the teeth to be loose.

Risk Factors For Gum Diseases

While improper care of the teeth allows the heavy buildup of bacteria and dental plaques in the mouth and is the primary cause of gum disease, other common factors increase your risk of developing gum disease. These include:

• Crooked teeth.
• Diabetes.
• Smoking and chewing of tobacco.
• Frequent use of alcohol.
• Hormonal changes in puberty and pregnancy.
• Poor nutrition.
• Poor saliva production.
• Poorly fitted dental appliances and devices.
• Weak immunity.

Symptoms Of Gum Diseases

What are the signs that indicate that you have gum disease? They include:

• Halitosis. Bad breath that will not go away.
• Tooth sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures.
• Pain and discomfort while chewing.
• Red or swollen gums.
• Receding gums.
• Bleeding of the gums while brushing or flossing the teeth.
• A tooth abscess (pocket of pus between the teeth and the gums).
• Malocclusion.

Can Gum Disease Cause Headache?

While gum disease might not directly cause headaches, it can lead to a severe toothache which can make you feel severe pain in the head. A throbbing toothache caused by gum disease can also trigger a migraine.

Gum Disease Treatment

You can get gum disease treatment in Whitby, ON, for both gingivitis and periodontitis treatment. Gingivitis can be reversed through dental practices that would have helped prevent it in the first place. These practices include:

• Brushing the teeth twice daily.
• Avoid smoking and the use of tobacco generally.
• Floss regularly.
• Apply a warm compress to the face to reduce gum pain and for swollen gums treatment.
• Change your toothbrush every three months.

Treating periodontitis can either take surgical or non-surgical procedures. Surgical procedures for periodontitis treatment include Bone grafts, soft tissue grafts, flap surgery, etc. Non-surgical treatment procedures include root planning, use of antibiotics, scaling, etc.