How To Spot Gum Disease And Gingivitis Before They Get Bad [Blog]

You’re right to worry about getting cavities, as that’s the most common dental problem in the US. But the second is gum disease. When bacteria in your mouth are left alone for too long, they create a hard substance on your teeth called plaque. Both the bacteria and plaque can damage your gums, leading to some serious problems including lost teeth.

That’s why it’s so important to call us today at 413-241-3995 and make a new appointment. A highly trained dentist like Dr. Dores can spot the early stage of gum disease (called gingivitis) and treat it nonsurgically, helping your smile stay healthy.

Spotting Gum Disease Symptoms

How do you know if you have this problem? Here are some of the signs you need to watch for:

• Bad breath: As the disease hurts your gum tissues, the cells start to die off and emit a strong odor. This problem is chronic, meaning you keep having bad breath despite brushing and mints.
• Discolored gums: Your gums should be a healthy pink color. When gingivitis starts attacking them, they can turn dark red or even black in places.
• Bleeding after brushing: Even if you brush hard, you should not see any blood in the sink afterwards. Bleeding like this is a big sign you have gum disease.
• Tender, swollen gums: When your gums get irritated, they can start to swell up in places. They can also get tender and can cause some pain when pressed thanks to gum disease.
• Strange taste in mouth: In advanced cases, your gums can be so fragile that they bleed almost randomly. If you have a strange taste in your mouth, it could be because your gums are bleeding like this.

Get Nonsurgical Treatment

Then what can you do to treat your gum disease? The best thing is to get regular dental cleanings and exams so you can treat any problem while it’s still early. Besides that, Dr. Dores has two nonsurgical treatments that can help.

1. Scaling and root planing: This deep-cleaning treatment gently removes plaque (and the bacteria living there) from underneath your gumline. This removes what’s irritating and damaging them.
2. Arestin®: Since bacteria are causing so many problems, it makes sense to target them. This treatment uses a special antibiotic applied right under your gums to get rid of them.

What Is Gingivitis?

You may have heard of the term “gingivitis”, but what does it mean? This is the early stage of gum disease. Here, plaque and bacteria in your mouth are irritating and damaging your gum tissues, but the gums are not yet infected. Many times, gingivitis can be treated simply by getting a thorough dental cleaning combined with regular brushing and flossing at home.

When this problem is not treated, it changes and becomes periodontitis. This is where those bacteria have infected the gums, causing them to pull away from your teeth. In time, this can deteriorate your jawbone and even make you lose some teeth.

Call our East Longmeadow, MA dental office today at 413-241-3995 or use our convenient online form. Gum disease and gingivitis can be serious conditions, but they are much easier to treat when caught early.