The 4 Stages of Gum Disease

You may be wondering why now and again your gums are red and swollen, or your breath is bad. Maybe you’re just concerned with improving your dental health and want to be more aware for your next appointment. Learn about the four stages of gum disease you may be overlooking when thinking of your complete oral care needs.

GINGIVITIS

Try not to worry if your dentist recently diagnosed you with gingivitis. There is still hope for a complete recovery and you can take action to prevent the condition from worsening. The main symptoms of gingivitis include red or swollen gums that cause discomfort while brushing and flossing. You may also notice offensive breath on occasion. Gingivitis is oftentimes caused by the buildup of bacteria on our teeth and along the gum line. The most common treatment is increased brushing and flossing in addition to more frequent dentist appointments. Be prepared to visit the dentist every 3 months for deep cleanings and professional attention instead of the usual semi-annual checkups.

EARLY STAGE PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Unfortunately, if you hear “periodontal disease” or “periodontitis” in your next dentist appointment, you may be in danger of more serious effects. This means an infection has spread beneath your gums allowing destructive bacteria to slowly destroy the bone holding your teeth in place. Slight periodontal disease is the next step in the development of gum disease (or periodontal disease). This may result in redness and swelling of the gums, foul breath, and recurrent bleeding during brushing and flossing. It can be concerning any time our gums bleed while flossing, but it isn’t always a sign of gum disease and may simply be from insufficient dental hygiene. Also, early-stage periodontal disease can’t be 100 percent reversed, but your dentist can design a treatment plan to prohibit it from getting worse.

MODERATE PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Moderate periodontal disease can also be managed by your dentist but involves more advanced care. Your dentist will need to clear away plaque from below the gum line (this same treatment may also be used with early-stage periodontal disease) in order to help correct the condition. Since your gums are slowly detaching from your teeth at this stage, surgery can reshape your gums and close the pockets between your gums and teeth to reduce plaque buildup. This may sound intimidating, but don’t worry too much! With exceptional self-care and one of our expert oral hygienists at your side, you can still prevent this condition from worsening.

ADVANCED PERIODONTAL DISEASE

The last stage of periodontitis creates the most devastating impact on your oral health. Most of the time dentists will use surgery to prevent tooth loss. Flap surgery is common for this stage and involves cleaning the actual roots of your teeth by scrubbing behind your gums. Your dentist may also smooth or reshape your weakened bone to avoid bacteria from accumulating.

However, keep in mind all of us are in control of our dental health. Occasionally genetic conditions can weaken our immune system and harm our gums and teeth, worsening periodontitis, but usually, we can prevent extreme conditions like this from progressing by practicing careful dental health habits.