What are the signs of gum disease?

Gum disease is a common oral condition that affects many, if not most of the adults in the United States. Surprisingly, even though so many Americans have gum disease, most of them do not know what it is or how it progresses. Gum disease progresses through a series of stages. The earlier stages are reversible and can be treated, but the later stages may pose serious risk to one’s health. Below are some tips to help you identify on your own if you have any signs of gum disease and then guide you in steps to start taking care of your oral health.

The earliest signs of gum disease are pretty minor and may even go unnoticed. Fortunately, your dentist should be well aware of all of the signs and symptoms, and if you make regular visits to the dentist they will let you know at the first signs of gum disease. If you are in between dental visits, you should watch for these early signs on your own. The first stage of gum disease happens when plaque and bacteria build up on your teeth and start to irritate your gums. This irritation of your gums will include causing them to turn dark pink and start to swell. When you brush or floss, you may notice your gums bleed a little bit. Many people just assume this means they are brushing too hard and soon forget these signs. Thankfully, these earlier signs are letting you know you need to start taking better care of your gums and your gum disease is still at a reversible stage.

If you do start to see some early signs of gum irritation, it is important to start taking steps to improve your oral hygiene. Many people think daily brushing and regular flossing are just strong recommendations, but what they don’t realize are these daily habits are the first and very important step to preventing gum disease. These simple practices go a long way to making sure your mouth is clean and healthy. The next important step in early prevention is making sure to schedule regular appointments with your dentist at least one or twice a year. The professional cleaning you receive at the dentist ensures you are getting all of the plaque and tartar build up removed that you may not be able to reach with your daily brushing routine. Your dentist can teach you good brushing and flossing technique, but the goal is to brush your teeth along the gum line at a 45 degree angle. Make sure to brush behind the front teeth on both the bottom and top as well. You may have seen the early signs of gum disease and not noticed. But try to stay aware and stay on top of your oral hygiene practices. Gum disease is reversible, if you catch it early and take the right steps to improve your oral health. A check-up with your dentist is always a great idea to help reassure you and get the feedback you may need on your oral health.