Also called periodontal disease, gum disease is an infection of the support system for your teeth, which consists of your gums and bone that supports your roots. If it's not successfully managed, gum disease eventually destroys that support system, which results in tooth loss. Gum disease is actually the leading cause of tooth loss in American adults.
The Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease, where you may notice that your gums feel irritated, appear red and swollen, or bleed during brushing and flossing.
Periodontitis is advanced gum disease. In this stage, your teeth may feel tender when biting or chewing and even begin to feel mobile.
Protecting Yourself Against Gum Disease
One of the best ways to guard your dental health against gum disease is to visit your Humble dentist every six months for teeth cleanings and checkups. During these visits, we screen you for gum disease so we can alert you to it as early as possible.
We can often successfully treat gingivitis with a thorough professional teeth cleaning and improvements to your home care routine. However, periodontitis requires a deeper cleaning known as scaling and root planing and could involve surgery for severely advanced cases.
Dr. Appel and his team serve patients in Humble, Atascocita, Kingwood, Porter, Ramblewood, Moonshine Hill, Bordersville, and Kenswick. We offer the Humble Dentistry Membership Savings Plan to help reduce the cost of periodontal treatment. For more information or if you need an emergency dentist in Humble, TX, contact us today.