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Gum disease can sneak up on you over time. Because its early symptoms can be easy to ignore, many people don’t realize there’s a problem until permanent damage has already been done. Our team at Dental Specialty Associates of Arizona is here to help you enjoy a healthy smile long-term with gentle and effective gum disease prevention in Phoenix and Gilbert.
This article explains the early signs of gum disease, why you may have gingivitis, and what you can do about it.
What Are the Early Signs of Gum Disease?
Gum disease is a serious, progressive inflammatory condition that affects the gums, ligaments, and bone sockets that hold your teeth in place. It’s the number one cause of tooth loss in adults, and has been linked to serious health problems like heart disease. (If you want to learn more, our team is happy to explain the links between dental hygiene and overall health in Phoenix and Gilbert!)
The good news is that gum disease doesn’t happen overnight. If you can recognize it in its early stage (frequently called gingivitis), there’s a lot you can do to reverse gum disease and save your smile!
Early signs of gum disease include:
- Redness
- Bleeding when you brush or floss
- Puffy or swollen gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Increased tooth sensitivity
- Gum recession
- Tender or itchy gums
- Gums that feel soft or spongy
If you notice these changes to your gums, you may want to schedule a consultation for gum disease treatment in Phoenix or Gilbert. We can help to restore full health and stability to your gums and stop gingivitis from progressing.
We’ll also help you understand what causes gum disease and what you can do to prevent it.
Why Do I Have Gingivitis?
Gum disease is an inflammatory response that typically starts with bacteria. Oral bacteria create a sticky substance called matrix that helps them cling to the surfaces of your teeth and gums and protects them from being washed away easily.
What Is Plaque?
Plaque is a soft, white or yellow substance that you can scrape off the teeth with your fingernail. These bacteria release compounds that can damage the gum tissue and trigger your immune system.
What Happens If Plaque Isn’t Removed?
If plaque is not removed from the teeth and gums regularly, it absorbs minerals from your saliva and hardens. Calcified plaque is called calculus in dentistry, but most people know it as tartar. Tartar can physically push your gums away from the teeth. It’s also very rough, which can injure your gums and make bacteria harder to remove.
How Plaque and Tartar Cause Gingivitis
This causes your body to send special cells to try and kill the bacteria on your teeth. This process is called inflammation. Temporary inflammation in response to an injury helps your body heal. But chronic inflammation damages healthy cells and puts strain on your whole body.
Gum disease is what happens when your gums are inflamed. The longer your gums are inflamed, the more damage your immune cells and bacteria can do.
What Happens If You Don’t Get Early Gingivitis Treatment?
In its early stages, gingivitis is fully reversible. By removing plaque and tartar and keeping your teeth free of bacteria, you allow inflammation to resolve and provide a healthy environment for your gums to heal.
Without timely treatment, inflammation will damage healthy cells. This causes your gum tissue to lose its grip on your teeth and eventually eats away at the bone sockets that surround your tooth roots.
Once bone loss has occurred, periodontal disease cannot be fully reversed because your bone tissue won’t return to its original condition, even with treatment. However, it can still be treated and stabilized.
What Do I Need to Do to Treat Gum Disease at Home?
Regardless of whether you have gingivitis or more advanced periodontal disease, there is a lot you can do to stop gum disease at home.
- Brush at least twice every day. Brushing your teeth removes plaque from the teeth and keeps it from turning into tartar. Be sure to replace your toothbrush every three months! Old toothbrushes don’t work as well and may harbor bacteria.
- Floss at least once every day. Brushing is effective for removing plaque from the front and back surfaces of the teeth, but doesn’t clean well in between, which is where gingivitis and cavities usually start. If you have trouble flossing, consider floss picks or a water flosser.
- Use good technique when brushing and flossing. It’s important to brush and floss correctly to fully clean each tooth surface without injuring the gums. If you’re not sure how, our team is happy to explain at routine dental cleanings in Phoenix and Gilbert!
- Consider antimicrobial rinses. Mouthwash isn’t necessary, but it can be a big help in keeping bacteria under control.
- Avoid smoking, vaping, and tobacco products. Tobacco has chemicals that cause the tiny blood vessels in your gums to shrink, affecting how much oxygen the tissue receives. Marijuana, chewing tobacco, and vaping can also increase your risk of gum disease.
Keeping up with great home care habits can do a lot to reverse early gum disease at home. However, even the best habits still need professional support for the best results.
When Do I Need to Call a Dentist About Gingivitis?
Routine dental cleanings are a critical part of preventing gum disease. If it’s been a while since your last dental cleaning, it’s a good idea to schedule a visit and get caught up!
You may need more urgent gum disease prevention or treatment if you notice:
- Significant bleeding when brushing or flossing
- Gums that bleed randomly
- Pus from below the gums
- Signs of infection, such as a pimple-like lesion on the gums
- Loose or shifting teeth
- Changes to your bite
- Trouble biting or chewing
- Heavy tartar buildup
How Do Dentists Treat Gum Disease?
Since plaque can be removed effectively at home, you may wonder what gum disease treatment in Phoenix or Gilbert may involve. Here are a few ways our team treats gum disease:
- Prophylactic Cleanings – These are routine visits that prevent gum disease from developing.
- Scaling – This involves using special instruments to remove hardened tartar from the teeth.
- Root Planing – This is a process to smooth the root surfaces, creating a healthier surface for the gums to reattach.
- Antibiotics – We sometimes provide prescription-strength rinses to keep bacteria under control.
- Laser Gum Disease Treatment – Specialized dental lasers can remove bacteria and reshape the gums to make them easier to keep clean.
- Gum Disease Surgery – In some cases, it may be necessary to perform surgery to fully clean the roots of the teeth or add bone grafts to replace lost bone volume.
We’re proud to provide gentle, proven gum disease treatment options so you can always get the care you need without unnecessary stress.
Our Team Is Here to Help You Enjoy Healthy Gums with Gum Disease Prevention in Phoenix and Gilbert!
Many people find themselves struggling with signs of gum disease after skipping dental cleanings for a long time. In many cases, this happens because of dental anxiety, financial constraints, or because it’s hard to find the time for routine dental visits.
Regardless of why you’re noticing signs of gum disease, our team is here to help in a comfortable, judgement-free environment. It’s our mission to help you take back control of your oral health and enjoy a strong, healthy smile for years to come. Get in touch to schedule your next cleaning or gum disease treatment in Phoenix or Gilbert!
