Gum Diseases: What Are They?

Gum Diseases: What Are They?

Oral health is very important for overall healthy body. One of the diseases with serious consequences that we have to watch out for is periodontal disease or gum disease. It is a bacterial infection which if not treated on time can lead to loss of tooth, among other things. Hence the word ‘periodontal’ literally meaning ‘around the tooth’. This disease can affect one or many teeth at the same time.

The bacteria in our mouth with mucus and other substances regularly forms ‘plaque’ – a sticky colorless substance, around our teeth. That’s why we brush – to clean our mouth of these substances. If we don’t do that regularly, the plaque can harden and will be difficult to take off by just brushing. The longer we don’t clean our teeth off that hardened plaque or ‘tarter’, they become more harmful. The bacteria cause our gum to inflame, the inflammation is called ‘gingivitis’ – gum becomes red, swollen and can even bleed. At this condition, you don’t loose any bone or tissue in your mouth, and teeth health can be restored by brushing and flossing, and regular cleaning for a health worker – a dentist.  

However, if you don’t treat gingivitis on time, it can lead to periodontis. In this stage, the gum loosens up from the teeth and allows gaps in between the teeth. Those gaps can be infected. Body fights the bacteria, and in the process tissues inside the mouth that hold the teeth in place starts to break down. If you don’t great periodontitis on time, your teeth, the gums, issues – call can be damaged forever.

Identifying gum diseases on time is very vital. You should regularly watch out for the symptoms which include long lasting bad breadth, swollen gums, blood from the gums, pain in the teeth or gums while eating and loose teeth. If you observe these signs in you, you should not waste your time and visit a dentist immediately.

There are precautions you can take to avoid gum diseases. Rinse your mouth properly after each meal. Brushing your teeth is just not enough , You should also massage your gums with your fingers. Flossing your teeth has many advantages, preventing gum diseases is just one of them. Make it a regular habbit. Another regular habbit you should develop is to visit your dentist in regular intervals, get your teeth cleaned and polished every now and then.

You don’t normally get complicated gum diseases when you are young. As with most diseases, it attacks you as you cross 30 or 40. However, it is not so rare among the younger ones too. It does happen if you do not care for you teeth and gum properly. There is even a special form of gum diseases for teenagers. It’s called the juvenile periodontitis, and in most cases it is hereditary.

Some other conditions that might invite gum diseases are – pregnancy, diabetes and a few other health conditions. It is a common knowledge too that smokers are most likely to get gum diseases.