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What Causes Gum Disease and How Do Dentists Treat It Early On?

Are you doing enough to keep your teeth and gums healthy? Are you noticing the signs of gum disease? Was it something you ate? Are you overthinking it all? Roughly half of adults in the U.S. have gum disease to some degree. Recognizing the symptoms of gum disease early on can equip you to prevent it from progress from the more severe stages of gum disease. Take a look at some of the common symptoms of gum disease, learn how it can be treated and then have a conversation with someone who can treat it.

Symptoms of Gum Disease
In its early stages, gum disease is known as “gingivitis.” As it advances, it gets described as “periodontitis” and, in the most severe cases, “severe periodontitis.” All stages of gum disease share many of the same symptoms, though not all. The symptoms of gingivitis look like milder versions of those of periodontitis and severe periodontitis.

Here are some of the more common symptoms of gingivitis:
Tender gums – there’s tenderness when brushing or flossing
Swollen gums – the gums look to be inflamed
Discolored gums – the gums have bright red or purple splotches
Receding gum line – teeth appear to be getting longer
Chronic bad breath – bad breath is persistent and hard to manage

Gum Disease Treatment
No matter what stage of gum disease you’re at, you’ll have several options for getting your oral health back on track. These are some of the procedures your dentist may recommend to help get your oral health back on track if you have gingivitis:

Teeth cleaning – that’s right, a standard teeth cleaning, often covered in full by insurance, can help you beat gum disease. Teeth cleanings remove hardened tartar from the teeth and prevent it from building up below the gumline.
Deep cleaning – this is a teeth cleaning that extends to cleaning the roots of teeth
Laser gum therapy – laser light is used to carefully removed decaying gum tissue, while preserving healthy areas

More on Gum Disease in Gainesville, FL
Take a brief moment to schedule a consultation with a Central Florida dentist to learn more about your options for treating gum disease in Gainesville, FL and Ocala, FL.

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