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It is an occurrence that has happened to most people at least once. You brush your teeth, and when you spit the toothpaste into the sink, it looks pink or even red, indicating that there is blood. This is not necessarily an issue if it is a one off, and it may be due to your brushing technique. However, if it is persistent and recurrent, it can be a sign of gum disease.
Gum disease, periodontitis, or gingivitis can become very serious, and in this article, you will be walked through some of the ways to spot if you have gingival disease, as well as the best options to treat it.
Signs of Gum Disease
So, how can you be sure that you have gum disease and are not brushing too hard? Here are some signs to look out for.
- Swollen Gums
Do your gums look swollen? Do they feel sore when you touch them? A core sign of gum disease is gum tissue that looks red, inflamed, and is often tender to the touch. This is, luckily, an early sign of gingivitis, which is the first stage in gum disease and can usually be successfully treated at home by upping your flossing regimen and using a mouthwash that is targeted at treating periodontal disease. However, if this persists, you will need To seek the help of a professional dental team and do some research into how it can be managed. Try to get the information on the latter from a reputable dental site, such as directdental.co.uk.
- Bad Breath
Bad breath can be another sign of gum disease and is due to an excess of bacteria in the mouth. Also known as halitosis, this can be treated at home if it is minor by upping your brushing regimen and swapping to a high-fluoride toothpaste. Or you can contact your dental team for a scale and polish. A scale and polish will remove plaque from under the gum line, which will help to reduce the bacteria in the mouth and eliminate the odor.
- Receding Gums
If you have gums that are pulling back from the tooth, this is a more moderate to severe stage of periodontal disease and will require you to seek the help of your dental team. This will also give you the opportunity to assess if it is due to you being too rough with your brushing, which can be the case with receding gums that are not accompanied by other symptoms. At this stage, your dental team will usually advise a scale and polish treatment, antibacterial mouthwash, and, when the gums have recovered, potential cosmetic treatments such as gum grafting.
- Loose Teeth
Loose teeth indicate that the gum tissue has completely pulled away from the tooth, and this is usually the end stage of gum disease. Luckily, your dental team can still treat this. They will usually remove all the plaque from around the gum tissue and the tooth by doing a deep scaling treatment and then by splinting the loose tooth to the nearest secure tooth. If this is not a viable option, your dental team may opt for extraction and then the placement of a dental bridge or dentures if more than one tooth needs to be removed.