Gum disease is a serious and dangerous dental issue that can severely affect your smile, oral health and even entire health if you let it. It forms when you fail to eliminate plaque from your smile regularly. Like you already know, you need to brush twice a day, floss once a day and attend your regular checkups every six months to keep plaque buildup under control. If you don’t, the plaque could attack your gums and underlying bone. It can even send toxins throughout your body through the bloodstream.
There are two different stages of gum disease. The first stage is gingivitis. This stage occurs when the plaque irritates the gums and makes them swell and bleed. In fact, the gums will likely bleed when you brush, floss and even eat. You might also suffer persistent bad breath. Treatment for this stage includes a professional dental cleaning.
The second stage is periodontitis. Periodontitis occurs when the plaque affecting the smile turns into tartar. The tartar irritates the gums so much that it makes them pull away from the base of the teeth. This forms gum pockets that likely get infected. The tartar moves to these pockets and then the tooth roots. As time passes, it even spreads to the underlying bone to cause loose and lost teeth. Treatments for this stage often include scaling and root planing and dental grafts.
Call Dental Excellence of Brandon today at 813-681-5515 if you have any questions or if you would like to know more. Our dental team will be happy to tell you all about gum disease in Brandon, Florida, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!