When you hear about gum disease, it might sound like something that happens to a lot of people but doesn’t strike you as something that you need to worry about. Unfortunately, if you remain uninformed, you may overlook gum inflammation that can lead to serious consequences (since it can actually happen to anyone!). If it has been longer than six months since your last visit or you suspect your gums are not in good health, we encourage you to contact us immediately. For now, let’s get started with the basics of periodontal disease.
The Quick Explanation: What’s Periodontal Disease?
Your periodontal tissue includes your gingiva (gum tissue) as well as the remaining supportive tissues that essentially house and protect your teeth. The term periodontal disease (also commonly referred to as “gum disease”) refers to the inflammation and infection of these structures, which can lead to severe consequences for your smile when left untreated.
Why Is This Happening?
Periodontal disease happens primarily as the result of bacterial accumulation on your teeth and beneath your gumline. Since plaque (which is filled with bacteria) adheres to your teeth every day, your gums are consistently vulnerable. When you brush, floss, and schedule visits with us like clockwork, you keep teeth clean, so the bacteria do not remain present long enough to affect your gum tissue. If you don’t keep up with plaque removal, inflammation will occur and infection will follow.
What You Need To Do
If you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, you need to visit us immediately for periodontal treatment, which will include a deep cleaning (scaling and root planing). Depending on the severity of the issue, you may then require additional care.
