Stages of Gum Disease
February is also Gum Disease Awareness Month! To celebrate, our Easton PA dentists are exploring the different stages of gum disease. If you believe you’re at any of these stages of gum disease, please contact our dental office immediately.
Gum Disease
There are three stages of gum disease. They range from moderate to extreme depending on the severity of the tooth infection. These three stages are considered to be gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis. Read the following to learn more about gum disease and how it affects your oral health.
Gingivitis
You’ve probably heard of gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. Most people experience gingivitis at one point in their lives. This stage of gum disease is a mild tooth infection. In contrast to the more serious stages of gum disease, gingivitis is the least damaging since it does not affect the bone. Dr. Moghadam says that immediate professional care can, in fact, reverse the infection, bringing you to a fast recovery.
Many people don’t know they have gingivitis because the symptoms are subtle. The symptoms of gingivitis include sensitive, swollen, red, and bleeding gums. Other implications that you might have for gingivitis include the occasional bad breath, plaque buildup, and apparent gaps between gums and teeth. Dr. Ben Kacos, an endodontist in Shreveport, LA, points out that these holes are created as a result of disruption to the periodontal fibers known to connect the gums to the teeth.
Moderate Periodontitis
Moderate periodontitis is the second stage of gum disease. This stage happens when gingivitis progresses due to a lack of treatment. Similar to gingivitis, your gums and teeth will be tender, red, sore, and bleeding. Dentists in Easton, PA, agree that bad breath is usually permanent at this stage.
For periodontitis, the condition is more advanced, which means the bone loss is now likely. This happens as a result of the development of periodontal pockets, which remove the teeth and establish a hub for infection. The infected gums cause the teeth to become brittle and loosen. However, there is still time to reverse the harm caused by moderate periodontitis. If you are at this stage of gum disease, please visit College Hill Dental Group for periodontal treatment in Easton, PA.
Advanced Periodontitis
Advanced periodontitis is the last and third-degree of gum disease. It is perhaps the most serious stage, causing tooth decay and tooth loss. Once you’ve reached this stage of gum disease, there is no going back. Unfortunately, advanced periodontitis is permanent. Signs of advanced periodontitis include swelling around the root of the tooth, a defective bite, and pus from the gums.
The magnitude of this stage means that periodontal pockets have now increased in size, deepening and providing more space for bacteria to flourish. As a result, this infection causes considerable damage to the bone and causes loss of teeth and decay. Your dentists may need to extract your teeth and restore them with dental implants or dentures.
Visit College Hill Dental Group
If you’re at any stage of gum disease, please contact College Hill Dental Group immediately. Our team of experienced professionals will do everything possible to save your teeth and restore your smile to its original glory. We offer different dental savings plans to make our services affordable. If you have any questions at all, please give us a call. We look forward to seeing you soon!
February is also Gum Disease Awareness Month! To celebrate, our Easton PA dentists are exploring the different stages of gum disease. If you believe you’re at any of these stages of gum disease, please contact our dental office immediately.
Gum Disease
There are three stages of gum disease. They range from moderate to extreme depending on the severity of the tooth infection. These three stages are considered to be gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis. Read the following to learn more about gum disease and how it affects your oral health.
Gingivitis
You’ve probably heard of gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. Most people experience gingivitis at one point in their lives. This stage of gum disease is a mild tooth infection. In contrast to the more serious stages of gum disease, gingivitis is the least damaging since it does not affect the bone. Dr. Moghadam says that immediate professional care can, in fact, reverse the infection, bringing you to a fast recovery.
Many people don’t know they have gingivitis because the symptoms are subtle. The symptoms of gingivitis include sensitive, swollen, red, and bleeding gums. Other implications that you might have for gingivitis include the occasional bad breath, plaque buildup, and apparent gaps between gums and teeth. Dr. Ben Kacos, an endodontist in Shreveport, LA, points out that these holes are created as a result of disruption to the periodontal fibers known to connect the gums to the teeth.
Moderate Periodontitis
Moderate periodontitis is the second stage of gum disease. This stage happens when gingivitis progresses due to a lack of treatment. Similar to gingivitis, your gums and teeth will be tender, red, sore, and bleeding. Dentists in Easton, PA, agree that bad breath is usually permanent at this stage.
For periodontitis, the condition is more advanced, which means the bone loss is now likely. This happens as a result of the development of periodontal pockets, which remove the teeth and establish a hub for infection. The infected gums cause the teeth to become brittle and loosen. However, there is still time to reverse the harm caused by moderate periodontitis. If you are at this stage of gum disease, please visit College Hill Dental Group for periodontal treatment in Easton, PA.
Advanced Periodontitis
Advanced periodontitis is the last and third-degree of gum disease. It is perhaps the most serious stage, causing tooth decay and tooth loss. Once you’ve reached this stage of gum disease, there is no going back. Unfortunately, advanced periodontitis is permanent. Signs of advanced periodontitis include swelling around the root of the tooth, a defective bite, and pus from the gums.
So, the magnitude of this stage means that periodontal pockets have now increased in size, deepening and providing more space for bacteria to flourish. As a result, this infection causes considerable damage to the bone and causes loss of teeth and decay. Furthermore, your dentists may need to extract your teeth and restore them with dental implants or dentures.
Visit College Hill Dental Group
If you’re at any stage of gum disease, please contact College Hill Dental Group immediately. Our team of experienced professionals will do everything possible to save your teeth and restore your smile to its original glory. We offer different dental savings plans to make our services affordable. If you have any questions at all, please give us a call. We look forward to seeing you soon!