Gum disease is an infection of the gums that is often caused by poor oral hygiene. It occurs when plaque builds up on your gums and hardens. There are many risks of not treating obvious gum problems like bleeding and swelling. Some of them include tooth loss and a damaged jaw.
Tooth Loss
Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. This underlines the serious danger gum disease poses. Luckily, you can reverse the advancement of gum disease by seeking early treatment. Therefore, immediately you notice signs of gum disease like bleeding gums or swelling, you should come in for treatment right away. These are the early signs of gum disease that often show after a few weeks.
Failure to treat gum disease at this stage, it will advance into a severe condition known as periodontitis. This is where the gum tissues are damaged beyond repair, and the stability of your teeth is compromised. If the condition is ignored, it will lead to tooth loss. Therefore, it is important to treat gum problems to avoid such consequences.
Damaged Jaw
Apart from tooth loss, ignoring gum problems will also lead to a damaged jaw. Gum disease can spread to your jaws and affect their structure. It does so by gradually damaging the jawbone, weakening its structure. As a result, you could have misaligned jaws. You could also have changes in the bite due to damaged jaws. Some people also experience pain that can get very uncomfortable when chewing food. You can prevent this by simply coming in for treatment before the condition worsens. Our professionals will check your gums and apply the necessary treatment. Apart from a damaged jaw, you could also have a bad breath. This is because there will be plenty of bacteria in your mouth. Contact our offices for more information on the dangers of not treating gum problems.