Although very common, gum disease and periodontitis is a condition that is easy enough to understand. With understanding of this condition comes the power to prevent it and preserve your oral health in the long term.

Basically, periodontitis is the advanced version of gum disease, which is a condition caused by a bacterial infection of the gum tissue. Poor oral hygiene habits allow bacteria to accumulate in the mouth and on the teeth and gums, which leads to the bacterial infection starting.

When bacteria are not removed daily through brushing, flossing and using a mouthwash, the harmful bacteria that are left over from the food we eat begin to attack the gum tissue. The bacteria infect the gum tissue and this stops the gums from providing support to the teeth.

This means that you might end up losing your natural teeth. Over time the infection can even spread down into the gum bone and cause serious health problems. This can lead to loss of bone, which will require surgery to rectify.

When gum disease becomes advanced, you are likely to have to undergo dental surgery, which is both painful and expensive.

Identifying The Signs Of Gum Disease

It is important that you are able to identify the early signs and symptoms of gum disease so that you can take action early on. This will prevent you having to undergo surgical treatments through your dentist. Instead, by catching the condition early on you can reverse it with minimal intervention from your dentist.

Some of the early warning signs of gum disease include:

• Swelling of the gums

• Darker than normal gums

• Chronic bad breath

• Prolonged bad taste in the mouth

• Receding gums

• Spaces between the teeth

• Tender gums

• Pus between the teeth

• Change in the way teeth fit together when you bite

If you encounter one or more of these symptoms, you may have developed gum disease and you should visit your dentist as soon as possible for a proper diagnosis.

Identifying The Causes Of Periodontitis

The chief cause of gum disease is bacteria. Bacteria build up after the food you eat leaves little particles, which release toxins and lead to bacterial growth. These bacteria need to be removed daily by brushing, flossing and using a mouthwash otherwise it builds up and leads to the gum tissue becoming infected. In addition, there are certain factors that can make it more likely that you will develop periodontitis.

Some of these include:

• Poor nutrition

• Stress

• Certain medications

• Diabetes

• Smoking/tobacco consumption

• Hormonal changes in women

• Genetics

• Clenching or grinding your teeth

Take control of these elements where possible and follow a good oral health routine at home and you are likely to be able to prevent gum disease altogether.

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This post is contributed by OraMD. You can Visit OraMD on Facebook.