Here at Carol E. Follette’s Dental Practice, one of the main things we help our patients fight against is gum disease. Gum disease affects millions of people in this country and it’s one of the main reasons people visit the dentist. This ailment can cause a variety of problems with your teeth and it can proceed quickly, so it’s smart to pay attention to early signs of gum disease.
Here’s a look at some red flags that could be a cause for alarm.
Swollen Gums
This can be one of the most obvious early signs of gum disease. If you’ve noticed that your gums are swelling or becoming puffy, that could be a sign that you need to get to our office for a checkup. We can evaluate you to see if this is a sign of gum disease or a more benign issue. Either way, we can get you on the road to recovery.
Tender Gums
Any kind of gum pain or tender gums could also be a bad sign. If foods that never bothered you before have started to or if brushing has suddenly begin to hurt your gums, you may need to come in for a visit. Your gums may also feel tender when you touch them.
Receding Gums
If you’ve noticed your gums are receding, or pulling away from your teeth, that could be an early sign of gum disease. Some people believe that your teeth just start to look longer as you age, but this is actually a misconception. Gum recession can cause issues by making it more difficult to remove food and other debris during the brushing process. Receding gums can also lead to tooth sensitivity. If you’ve noticed that hot or cold beverages have started to bother you, check for gum recession.
Bad Breath
No one wants to have bad breath. If you’ve noticed that your bad breath doesn’t go away after brushing, that could be a sign that you have gum disease. Chronic bad breath and a bad taste in your mouth could be an indicator of a larger problem. If you visit our dental office, we can see if your bad breath is more than just a social issue.
Loose Teeth
If you’ve noticed that some of your teeth feel looser, that could also be an indicator of gum disease. This is especially true if it’s not just limited to one tooth. If it’s a more widespread problem, that could be a sign that it wasn’t just hard food affecting your teeth. It might be gum disease.
New Spaces Between Your Teeth
If you’ve noticed a gap where there hasn’t been one before, that could be another indicator of gum problems. Receding gums and other issues could cause your teeth to drift apart, which means that a visit to our practice is in order.
Teeth Fit Together Differently
If you bite down and realize that your teeth don’t quite fit together the way you expect, that can be another sign of gum disease. Pay attention when you chew and look for signs of problems.
If you’ve seen some of these signs of gum disease, visit our laser periodontal dental office. We’re ready to help you with any of your dental health problems.