 Gum disease or periodontal disease is a chronic disease process that is just as important as cavities. The process will begin without discomfort and produces signs that are often overlooked by the general population. Left unchecked the disease will destroy bone and gums around the roots of teeth. The longer gum disease is allowed to mature the greater the challenge to rectify existing damage and prevent future damage from the disease. As with many other diseases early diagnosis followed by treatment is of great importance. It can save expenses, surgeries, teeth and bone. Estimates keep growing, at least 50% of adults have unhealthy gums. Gum disease has relationships with cardiovascular health, pregnancy health, diabetes, stroke, osteoporosis, and lung health. See Dr. Kohl right away to make sure gum disease is not taking quality years off your life.
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The Progressive Stages of Gum Disease
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In a Perfectly Healthy Situation, your gums appear pink and firm. There is no bleeding. A bacterial sample shows a healthy balance of normal bacteria.
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In Early Gum Disease, your gums can appear nearly normal with some slight bleeding. Bacterial samples show an early presence of the "pathogenic" or abnormal bacteria.
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In Moderate Gum Disease, the first signs of the destructive process are evident. In addition to puffy, bleeding gums, pockets form around the teeth and bacterial counts elevate significantly.
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In Advanced Gum Disease, in addition to the previous symptoms, teeth may begin to loosen, pus may appear and the most destructive forms of bacteria are prevalent.
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You Only get one set of adult teeth, take care of them and you might be surprised how well they take care of you. |
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