You take good care of your teeth – you avoid sugar to prevent tooth decay, you don’t smoke, and you always brush and floss. But sometimes, you notice some very faint bleeding when you perform your oral hygiene routine at home, which makes you wonder if you have gum disease in Tulsa, OK. In this post, the team at Glisten Dental explains the signs and symptoms of this common condition, how they diagnose this, and how to treat it.
What Is Gum Disease?
As a highly respected dentist in Tulsa, OK, she describes gum disease as an inflammatory condition of the gingiva (gums) which affects the soft and hard structures that support your teeth. It progresses through three stages, and is generally caused by the presence of bacteria from food (especially sweets) in the mouth. Although more than half of Americans have gum disease, it shouldn’t be taken lightly, especially considering that this condition is a major factor in tooth loss.
What Are the Signs & Symptoms Of Gum Disease?
Gum disease has three stages: gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis. The symptoms include:
- Red, swollen, or tender gums
- Bleeding while brushing, flossing, or eating food
- Receding gum lines
- Spaces between the teeth
- Buildup of pus between teeth and gums
- Bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
- Teeth that don’t fit together when you bite
- Chronic bad breath
- Gums that pull away from the teeth
- Sores in the mouth
- Loose or misaligned teeth
How Can Glisten Dental Diagnose My Gum Disease?
When you come into see us for an exam, she will ask you questions about your lifestyle on your eating and smoking/tobacco habits, and she’ll conduct a thorough exam of your teeth and gums. She will use a special tiny ruler called a probe to see if your gums are pulling away from your teeth, and to measure gum pockets to find out what stage of gum disease you have.
How Can Glisten Dental Treat My Gum Disease?
Depending on the stage of gum disease you’re suffering from, we have a variety of ways to treat this condition. We can use mouthrinses to get ahead of the problem in the early stages of gingivitis. If things progress to periodontitis or more advanced stages of the disease, we can remove troubled tissue and promote the regeneration of healthy gums. And, if you’ve lost a tooth due to poor gum health, don’t despair – a lost tooth doesn’t have to stay that way with our dental implants.
Now that you know what gum disease is, how we can diagnose this condition, and how we treat it, schedule your appointment with Glisten Dental today to keep your smile healthy!