Don’t Ignore These Warning Signs of Periodontal Disease

Know what changes to look out for that could be trying to warn you that you have periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is one of the most common causes of tooth loss. Not only does this chronic condition affect the health of your gums but also it can take quite a toll on your smile as a whole. Before gum disease ruins your oral health, our Woodland, CA, dentist, Dr. James Zimmerman, wants you to be on the lookout for these symptoms:

• Red and inflamed gums
• Gums that are tender to the touch
• Gums that bleed
• A bad taste in your mouth
• Chronic bad breath
• Teeth that appear longer than usual (this happens when gums start to recede)
• Loose teeth

Not all of these symptoms will show up at once. In fact, during the very early stages of periodontal disease, you may not even notice any problems. Of course, during your routine cleanings and exams, our Woodland general dentist can easily examine your gums and determine whether or not you have periodontal disease. Since periodontal disease doesn’t always cause obvious problems it’s important that you always come in for your preventive cleanings. The sooner we are able to catch periodontal disease the better.

Most people worry that they may have periodontal disease and decide to ignore the problem hoping it will go away; however if we are able to catch periodontal disease early enough when it’s only gingivitis then we can provide the proper treatments to actually reverse this problem. Of course, if you continue to ignore these symptoms they will just progress into full-blown periodontal disease. Symptoms can be managed with easy treatment options like scaling and root planing to prevent tooth and bone loss, and other complications.

Don’t just ignore those bleeding or tender gums. Your mouth is trying to let you know that something isn’t wrong. Our Woodland, CA, family dentist will ensure that you get the care you need to protect your oral health.