According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about half of the adult population between 30 years old show symptoms of gum disease, while 9% are battling severe gum disease. The effects of gum disease El Paso are the loss of teeth. If left untreated, gum disease can cause pockets to form between your gums and teeth. These pockets can fill with pus, food particles, and bacteria and lead to tooth loss.
What are the effects of gum disease?
Gum disease damages the bone and tissue around your teeth. The condition is caused by bacteria that are found in plaque, which builds up on your teeth and causes them to become weakened and brittle. Gum disease can also lead to serious consequences such as tooth loss and even heart disease.
The disease is also associated with heart disease and stroke because it causes your blood vessels to become inflamed. Inflammation generally contributes to heart disease by hardening your arteries and narrowing the blood vessels that supply blood to your heart. Besides, gum disease increases inflammation within your body by causing more plaque to build up. This plaque buildup can lead to several other health problems, such as periodontitis, endocarditis, osteoporosis, and dementia.
What are the symptoms of gum disease?
- Bad breath
- Gums that bleed when you brush your teeth
- Loose teeth, especially when you bite down or chew
- Pus between the gums and the teeth
- Swollen or tender gums in your mouth
What are the causes of gum disease?
Plaque buildup
Plaque buildup occurs when you don’t remove food from between your teeth after eating or drinking sugary drinks like fruit juices or fizzy drinks. Plaque forms a sticky layer on the surface of your teeth, mixing with saliva to form tartar over time if not removed regularly through daily brushing and flossing.
Smoking
Smoking increases the risk of gum disease because it reduces your saliva’s ability to fight bacteria. This can lead to plaque buildup and inflammation in your gums, which can make it easier for plaque to infect your gums and get worse over time.
Age
As you age, the tissues supporting your teeth become less sturdy and more likely to develop periodontal disease or recede from your teeth. This makes it easier for plaque to form under your gums and start an infection there.
Treatment for gum disease
If you have periodontitis, your dentist may provide some antibiotics or other medications to help treat the infection. In some cases, removing a tooth with periodontitis is necessary. This procedure is called a root canal. A root canal is done when the infection has spread from the tissue surrounding the tooth into the root of the tooth.
Gum disease is a common problem that affects the gums and sometimes the bones that support your teeth. It can cause your teeth to loosen, become painful, and make it difficult to chew food. If you have the symptoms of gum disease, schedule a consultation with Dr. Darj Dental.
