One of the most prevalent diseases adults suffer from is gum disease.
Did you know that gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults? It is also an easy disease to prevent. Gum disease has two stages – gingivitis and then periodontitis. Gingivitis is curable and affects most people at sometimes during their life where gums appear red, swollen and bleed easily which is caused by plaque, a soft sticky colourless layer of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. Left untreated this can lead to periodontitis which can be managed but not cured.
Signs and symptoms of gum disease:
- Bleeding gums
- Swollen, red tender gums
- Bad breath
- The gum will pull away from the tooth
- Pus may be seen around the tooth
The infection damages the tissue that connects the gum to the roots of the tooth and this is what—eventually—can lead to periodontitis.
This is one reason why regular dental hygiene visits and a periodontal examination are important and diagnosis of these conditions can be made through an oral examination with us. In this consultation, we take radiographs and check the health of the periodontal tissues with a graduated periodontal probe.
