Many people around the world today suffer from some stage of gum disease, and many are not even aware of it. This may have a lot to do with the lack of education we have received about this ‘silent epidemic’.
It would be helpful if you knew some of the symptoms of gingivitis but you should be aware that you may or may not display symptoms and you could still have periodontal disease.
Alone any one of these symptoms may not mean anything, in combination, the chances increase that you are dealing with this disease. However, if you believe in statistics the majority of people are suffering from periodontal disease right now and as mentioned before: many do not know it.
So what are some of the warning signs?
1. Halitosis – A fancy term for bad breath.
2. Redness of The Gum Tissue – For Caucasians the gum tissue should be a healthy pink.
3. Swelling – If you notice than an area of your gum line is swollen, you should probably get checked at the dentist’s office. Infection is something that you don’t want to mess around with.
4. Bleeding Gums = Bad! This is the classic sign of gum disease. This may occur when you brush or floss your teeth. If you see blood at these times, there is a very high probability that you have a gum disease or gingivitis problem.
5. Receding Gums – This can not only be caused by gum disease but also by brushing too hard
6. Loose Teeth – If you have loose teeth your gum disease is either advanced or approaching the advanced stage. Teeth should be firm.
7. Shifting Teeth or The Appearance of Gaps – This is similar to loose teeth.
See below for easy links to more information on periodontal disease and how you can stop or prevent it.