Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease is a progressive inflammation and infection of gum tissues. It is often caused by hardened tartar where your teeth meet your gums.
Hardened tartar introduces constant bacterial exposure to your gum tissues. Increased risk factors like regular tobacco use and certain medical conditions, like diabetes, can accelerate gum disease’s progression
The earliest stage of gum disease is known as gingivitis. Initial symptoms include red or inflamed gums that bleed easily during brushing and flossing as well as problems with chronic bad breath. This level of infection can often be remedied in the course of Creative Smiles Dental Care’s regular dental checkup and cleaning.
You can then prevent future infections with consistent improvements in your daily oral hygiene routine. This includes brushing your teeth twice per day with an abrasive toothpaste. This should be immediately followed by flossing between each tooth and along the gum line.
Be sure to floss behind your last tooth. This is an area that is often ignored, but can harbor significant food particles, plaque and tartar.
Once you are done brushing and flossing, you can then rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash. This will serve to remove loosened food particles and kill some of the lingering bacteria in your mouth.
If you are concerned that you might be developing gingivitis, you should call Creative Smiles Dental Care’s Brockton, Massachusetts clinic to have the problem accurately diagnosed and effectively treated.
