Gum disease is a serious and dangerous dental issue that should be avoided as much as possible. It typically forms when you fail to remove plaque from your teeth and gumline daily. This means you don’t brush twice a day, floss once a day and attend your dental cleaning appointments every six months. Little did you know, there are two stages of gum disease, and our dentists, Drs. Dean Calpas, Suzanne Hendrix, and Beth Amundson, are happy to tell you all about them.
The first stage is gingivitis. Gingivitis occurs when the plaque starts to irritate the gum tissues. This makes the gums swell and bleed often, even when you brush, floss and eat. The gums also turn a red color and become very tender. You might also experience persistent bad breath. This stage can be treated with a professional dental cleaning. It should be treated as soon as possible.
The second stage is periodontitis. This stage occurs when the plaque turns into tartar, which is a very toxic substance and makes the gums pull away from the teeth. This forms gum pockets that are typically infected. The tartar spreads to the pockets, tooth roots and even underlying bone. You might experience loose and lost teeth later during this stage. The treatments for periodontitis include scaling and root planing, bone grafts, gum grafts and more.
If you have any questions about gum disease in Big Lake, Minnesota, please contact our dental team at Monticello Dental Center when you have the chance. We will be happy to help you in any way we can, so please call 763-263-7100 now!