What Causes Gum Disease?
Gum disease and cavities are some of the most common dental problems, and they each have the same cause: tooth decay. When plaque accumulates along the gum line, it hardens into tartar and causes an infection. As this infection worsens, it advances through the three stages of gum disease. At its most severe stage—advanced periodontitis—gum disease can lead to tooth loss.
The Three Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease begins with mild symptoms, but can rapidly become more severe when left untreated. These are the three stages of gum disease:
- Scaling and Root Planing. At its start, gum disease causes redness in the gums which may feel irritable to the touch. It’s easy to treat with non-surgical methods at this stage.
- Gum Grafts and Other Surgeries. The second stage of gum disease is characterized by the pockets of puss that develop within the gums. Teeth may become loose at this stage, as irreparable damage is caused to the gum tissue.
- Advanced Periodontitis. The final stage of gum disease is advanced periodontitis. At this point, damage may be so severe that surgery could be required to reconstruct your mouth. Tooth loss can also easily occur at this stage, in addition to severe discomfort.
How To Treat Gum Disease
The following solutions are all used to treat gum disease in its various stages:
- Scaling and Root Planing. Also called deep cleaning, a scaling and root planing procedure is effective for mild and moderate cases of gum disease. This treatment involves thoroughly cleaning the tooth all the way down to the root and gum line to remove plaque and tartar.
- Gum Grafts and Other Surgeries. At the most severe stages, gum disease may require surgery. Gum grafts are common for critical cases of gum disease, where healthy gum tissue is taken from one area and applied where new tissue is needed. There are also other surgeries that may be used to restore the mouth after gum disease as well.
- At-Home Care. By properly brushing twice each day and flossing once, you’ll be doing a lot to prevent gum disease. There are also products you can buy, like tartar control toothpaste, that stop the build-up of tartar that leads to gum disease.
