You may be surprised to learn that nearly half of all adults have some form of gum disease. In its early stages, gingivitis (an inflammation of the gums) is fairly subtle in its symptoms. Because of this, many tend to ignore the symptoms or don’t even notice them at all.
This approach has its problems, and in isolation, you may not realize how much these symptoms affect you. It can also rapidly turn into periodontitis, a much more severe problem. The good news is that addressing your gum disease can bring relief to issues you didn’t realize you had, giving you a happier, healthier life overall.
An End to Bleeding Gums
Few things are more annoying or frustrating than sore, bleeding gums. If that’s what you experience every time you brush your teeth, it’s a sure sign of gingivitis.
Gums that are inflamed are less resistant to trauma, and even the gentle pressure of a toothbrush is enough to damage gum tissue and make them bleed. Once you are free of gum disease, however, you can brush your teeth normally without any soreness or pain.
No More Gum Sensitivity
Have you ever sipped a cold drink or taken a bite of ice cream, only to feel a rush of pain in your teeth? You might worry that you have a cavity, or dismiss it as something normal. However, it’s possible that neither is true. Very often, pain and sensitivity to extreme temperatures isn’t your teeth at all, but pain from sensitive gums that your brain misinterprets.
When your gum disease is gone, often the sensitivity subsides. Your gums have a natural resistance to temperatures that is compromised by gum disease, but that will disappear once your gums are back to good health. So while that milkshake may give you a brain freeze, you won’t have tooth pain along with it.
Keep Your Teeth Longer
If gum disease progresses to the advanced stages, bacteria infect the gums and cause pain, swelling, and sometimes fever. Worst of all, your gums may even start to pull away from your teeth. This exposes the tooth root, making teeth less secure, and increasing the likelihood of tooth decay.
Protecting your gum health also protects those teeth, keeping them safe and secure so you have more of your teeth later in life.
Protect Your Health Overall
On top of uncomfortable, even painful symptoms, advanced gum disease puts your overall health at risk. The bacterial infection can spread, either through the airway or the bloodstream, and cause a secondary infection elsewhere in your body.
At best, infection means you become sicker; and since your body has to fight two infections at once, it can take longer to heal. However, the bacteria are capable of reaching and infecting your lungs, heart, and even your brain. Depending on other factors, these infections can be serious – possibly even fatal.
When you stay on top of your gum health, you avoid all of the problems of gum disease, both subtle and serious. How do you keep your gums healthy? Ask a dentist! They’ll give you the best tips for cleaning, maintenance, diet, and other tricks to keep your gums in top shape.
If you think you have gum disease, contact our office and schedule an appointment today.