When it comes to a healthy mouth, your teeth aren’t the only things to consider. Your tongue and gums are important too. Your whole mouth needs to be in top shape to help you stay healthy. Surprisingly, there is a large number of people who are diagnosed with gum disease each year. In fact, almost half of all people over age 30 have gum disease and after age 70 that increases to 65 percent.

Gum disease or periodontitis is an infection of the gums. It can cause tooth damage, systemic infections and it can lead to disease. While preventing gum disease is your top priority, it’s also important and helpful to be able to recognize the early signs of gum disease. Let’s take a look at what those signs are and talk about how you can stop gum disease in its tracks.

Signs of Gum Disease

One of the challenges for gum disease is that your gums don’t hurt. You really have to pay attention to your mouth and notice the signs of gum disease.

The early signs include:
– Red gums
– Swollen gums
– Bleeding gums when you brush or floss

Later signs of gum disease include:
– Receding gum line
– Loose teeth
– Bad breath
– Mouth sores

Your dentist can help stop the progression. Preventing and reducing the impact of gum disease is one of the reasons it’s important to see your dentist regularly. They can remove the plaque that’s causing gum disease, clean your gums, and talk about other measures depending on how advanced your periodontitis is.

Gum Disease Isn’t the Only Problem

Pale gums are a sign that you’re anemic. Your gums may be sore and your tongue can become swollen and smooth when your body doesn’t have enough red blood cells. The loss of oxygen to your mouth can cause pale gums and a sore mouth. If you see this in your own mouth, go talk to your doctor about how to reverse the anemia – it can be life threatening.

Dry Gums and Mouth

Some medications cause your body to stop producing saliva. If you notice that your mouth is always dry and you feel like you’re well hydrated, it’s important to get it checked out by your doctor or dentist. Dry mouth can also be caused by other conditions including an immune condition. Your mouth needs saliva to remove the bacteria and food particles from your teeth and gums.

Make it a habit to regularly inspect your mouth and your gums. They should be pink and firm. Your gums will stay healthy if you brush at least twice a day, floss daily, avoid sugary snacks and beverages and visit your dentist regularly.  If you’re worried about the health of your gums, click the link below to make an appointment with Dr. Omene today.

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