Gum disease can sneak up on a person without them noticing right away. Gum disease is a slow disease that is caused by plaque buildup or bad teeth. The slow process of gum disease can happen and go unnoticed for months that is why it is important to visit your dentist regularly for check ups. Your dentist can tell if you are developing gum disease. The earlier you discover gum disease the easier it will be to clear up.
The symptoms of gum disease are red puffy gums that are somewhat tender to the touch. Gums that are swollen can also be a sign of gum disease. The redness starts to develop at the gum line and gets worse if not treated.
Receding gums are a sign of gum disease. Your teeth may start to look longer because your gums are actually receding. You may not notice your gums receding right away since you see your gums often. The gums may also look as though they are pulled away from the teeth and they may create pockets where food can easily get caught.
When you brush your teeth you may see blood when you spit in the sink. Blood or bleeding gums is a sign of gum disease and it should not be ignored. Flossing may also cause your gums to bleed and that can be a sign of gum disease.
If you see any pus or white fluid coming from your gums is can be a sign of gum disease. This is a sign that you have an infection in your gums caused by gum disease.
If you bite down and you notice a change in your bite it could be that your gums are receding and your teeth are not fitting together as they usually do.
Bad breath can be a sign of gum disease. If you have bad breath occasionally it is probably from something else like the food you eat but if you have bad breath regularly you may have gum disease. If you have bad breath a lot you probably don’t notice it but the people around you will.
Sore in your mouth may be caused by gum disease. Everyone gets sores in there mouth from time to time but if you have sores regularly you may want to get checked out by your dentist to make sure you don’t have gum disease.
Denture wearers can get gum disease since food can get caught in pockets in the mouth. My husband has had dentures since he was a kid and has always had problems with gum disease in the area where his dentures are. If you have dentures you need to keep your teeth extra clean.
If you have any of these symptoms you should see your dentist to find out if you have gum disease. Your dentist can give you treatments to cure your gum disease. If your gum disease is not treated you can loose your teeth or something worse can happen.
You can read more about gum disease at http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/OC/Information/OralHealthBasics/CommonConcerns/GumDisease/WhatAreTheStagesOfGumDisease.cvsp. You can also read more about gum disease at http://www.perio.org/consumer/gum-disease-symptoms.htm. Another place you can go to read about gum disease is http://www.perio.org/consumer/proto2/healthygums.htm.
