Do I Have Gum Disease?

The Signs You Need to Know

Gum disease, when left untreated, can become a very serious problem. What many people may not realize though is that the signs of gum disease could be happening now and they do not even know it. Often times, the warning signs are ignored because the individual experiences no pain – they assume brushing better to get rid of plaque and bleeding gums and using mouthwash to cover up their bad breath will help to fix any issues. What they don’t know is that these are signs of periodontal disease.

Oral symptoms such as red, irritated, swollen gums, bad breath, bleeding after brushing and a different fit to the teeth while biting can all be signs of periodontal disease – unfortunately, many people ignore these signs until they cause more serious problems. Oral conditions such as gum disease and tooth decay are many times reversible if they are discovered, diagnosed and treated in the early stages of the disease. During a regular dental visit, the professional can look for infections, ulcers, dry mouth and other problems that may lead to more serious conditions down the road.

Additionally, periodontal disease and gum disease can sometimes be a sign of other serious medical conditions that exist in other parts of the body. Depending on what is discovered during a dental check-up, the dentist may recommend the patient to seek a consultation from a medical professional in order to make sure nothing more serious is going on and to being treating any current conditions. Again, this is why seeing a dental professional on a regular basis is important for your oral and overall health.

Another unknown fact about gum disease is that it has a direct link to diabetes. For individuals who have diabetes, maintaining proper dental health and seeing a dentist on a regular basis is an important part of keeping their mouths healthy and their smile intact. In addition to seeing a dentist regularly, individuals with diabetes should also be conscious of their lifestyle choices and put a particular emphasis on brushing and flossing daily, controlling blood sugar and not smoking to keep periodontal disease at bay.

Additionally, there are a number of online resources and risk management tools to help determine whether or not they may have gum disease or periodontal disease. When using these tools, individuals will answer a series of questions to help gauge their personal risk for different levels of gum disease, oral cancers and some other, more serious oral health problems.

Are you worried about gum problems? Then maybe you should go see the dentist! If you are not going because you don’t have insurance, consider a New Hampshire discount dental plan like the Wellness Dental Plan. For information on all of our plans, please click here.

*Photo Courtesy of Melissa Wiese via Creative Commons License