gum disease sign

If you’ve been told you have gum disease, there are a few things you need to know about periodontitis. Once a positive diagnosis of periodontitis has been made, there’s really no going back. Gum disease is not reversible, but it is treatable. This means that your symptoms will never go away, but as long as you seek out regular periodontal treatments, you may be able to stop the type of tissue damage that leads to tooth loss.

If you’ve been diagnosed with gingivitis, this means that you are showing some signs of inflammation in the gums—but can still reverse the condition. Hearing you have gingivitis means you need to bear down and be vigilant in your daily oral hygiene, so you don’t wind up with periodontitis in the future.

  • Use a fluoride toothpaste and brush your teeth carefully twice a day, for two minutes each time.
  • Floss your teeth thoroughly, every day.
  • Avoid oral irritants that can damage the gums, such as tobacco products, vaping, and excessive alcohol consumption.

Are you ready to take control over your gum health? Call Drs. Victoria Uryniak and Carson Ferris-Zeolla if you need a periodontist in Clinton, NJ. We can help you minimize your symptoms and preserve your gum tissue. Contact us online, or call our office at (908) 200-7007 to make a perio appointment.

What Causes Gum Disease?

Gum disease is caused by mouth bacteria. You probably know that bacterial acids cause cavities, but they can also get into the tissues between the teeth and gums. Once inside periodontal pockets, bacteria release acidic excretions that harm your gingival tissue. The gum tissue becomes inflamed, sore, and red. Ultimately, gum tissue will die, and you’ll start to see the gums pull away from the teeth. If you can already see exposed tooth roots, then you have already started losing gum tissue to gum disease.

Risk factors for gum disease include:

  • Using tobacco products
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Lax oral hygiene
  • Genetic factors
  • Hormonal changes
  • Medical conditions (hypertension, diabetes)

Anyone, of any age, can get gum disease. However, it is very common in older adults, and experts estimate that as much as 50 percent of adults over 35 show some signs of gum disease. That’s a lot of people, and many of them may be unaware they have symptoms. If you have been diagnosed, consider it good news because it means you can now seek helpful treatments!

Having gum disease does not mean you are definitely going to wind up in dentures. If you seek treatment to minimize your symptoms, you have a greater chance of holding on to your teeth indefinitely.

Why You Should Be Concerned

Obviously, you don’t want to lose your teeth. Gum disease leads to tooth loss because it destroys gum tissue and makes teeth more vulnerable to decay. Beyond your oral health, however, there is medical research to suggest that gum disease can affect your whole body. The bacteria that live in our mouth, Streptococcus mutans, have been found in the arterial plaque that contributes to heart disease. It is theorized that these bacteria can harm multiple body systems, and its point-of-entry may be via the bloodstream in the presence of bleeding gums. Controlling the levels of bacteria in your gum tissue can help prevent heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and several other medical conditions.

If you have gum disease, seeking treatments with a periodontist, Clinton NJ, can help you get your symptoms under control and prevent further harm to your gingival tissue. Contact us online or call our office at (908) 200-7007 to make an appointment for periodontal treatments.