While dental cavities are undoubtedly harmful, and damage your smile, there is another, lesser talked about threat to dental health, gum disease. Your gum tissue is really the foundation of your smile, so it’s crucial that you keep your gums healthy in order to enjoy a strong and attractive smile for years to come.
Our Santa Monica gum disease dentists are here with some more information about how periodontal disease can affect your smile. We hope that this short article helps you understand this very real threat to dental wellness.
Gum disease occurs when oral bacteria infect a patient’s oral tissues. These bacteria create inflammation, and weaken the patients’ tissues over time.
In the short-term, you will likely find that gum disease makes your gums appear red and swollen; your tissue may also be prone to bleeding when you brush, floss, or chew on something abrasive. Your gum tissue may also begin to pull away from your smile, forming something called “periodontal pockets.”
Patients who suffer from gum disease are also likely to deal with chronic bad breath. This is because the very bacteria that cause periodontal disease also release unpleasant odors as they grow and multiply.
As gum disease progresses into periodontal disease, the very structure of your smile will be compromised. The connective tissues that hold your teeth in place can loosen. This is why periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adult dental patients. Alarmingly, this destabilization can become so severe that the patient’s jawbone tissue begins to deteriorate.
The good news is that prompt and high quality treatment for gum disease can help your tissue regenerate and strengthen. If you think that you’re dealing with infected gum tissue, it is imperative that you schedule an assessment with your dental team.
Our Santa Monica periodontal disease dentists can help! Call our team to learn more, or submit a question for our staff through the Contact Us page on our site. We look forward to speaking with you!