The consequences of periodontal disease on your health, or gum disease in layman’s terms, can be dire. Left untreated, this disease destroys your teeth by infecting them so severely that they need to be removed. Here are some early warning signs.
Gum Pocketing
“Pocketing” refers to the space between the teeth and gums. Dentists measure pockets by making charts and probes to find out what your general gum health is. A probe is placed between the gums and tooth to determine where the gum attachment starts. This is the pocket bottom. Six measurements are taken for every tooth to assess the presence or absence of gum disease.
1 – 3 mm is a normal range. Any number above 3 mm indicates infection and gum disease.
Gum Recession
Gum recession is where the root becomes exposed due to loss of gum tissue around the tooth. Dentists take measurements along the outer surface of the tooth to establish the degree of recession. Measurements can vary per patient. Dentists can provide recommendations for taking care of your teeth by taking measurements and keeping track of how they progress.
If you suspect your pockets are too large or your teeth appear abnormally long due to bared gums, it would be a good idea to find a dentist and get them involved. Don’t know where to look? Opencare is a great platform to find a dentist near you.
Bleeding Gums
Bleeding gums might well be the most common sign of gum disease. They shouldn’t bleed when you brush your teeth. Bleeding might be accompanied by red gums, swollen gums, or sore gums. Your teeth may get overly sensitive too. This can be caused by gum recession as well.
As gums can start bleeding during flossing, people often decide to stop flossing. This is the right decision sometimes. On the other hand, plaque will build up if you don’t floss, which could lead to gingivitis, a condition where the fibers attaching your teeth to the gum tissue are destroyed.
It’s time to find a dentist when you see bleeding gums. The dentist will perform a checkup aimed at determining the severity of gum bleeding.
A critical phase of gum bleeding that you need to know about is bleeding after or during brushing. You will see dark or red spots on your floss or brush. Your goal here is to get rid of plaque, so this is a sign that you’re not going in the right direction.
Sensitive Teeth
Tooth sensitivity was mentioned earlier, but did you know it can be the only sign of gum disease? Chronically inflamed gum tissue, which is exposing the tooth’s root surface, is making the tooth more susceptible to wear, decay, sensitivity, infection, and potential loss. Tooth sensitivity is most pronounced when consuming hot or cold foods or beverages.
You should see a dentist if you have any of the above symptoms or if they are worsening. They’ll be able to check if gum disease is the cause.