WHAT IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE?

Periodontal disease or periodontitis is a high level or advanced gum disease. It occurs when the gums are inflamed or irritated due to some reasons. Many factors can trigger gum inflammation. Gum diseases always begin from a mild level, a stage called gingivitis. Sadly, if the symptoms or warnings go unattended, the gum disease advances into a severe phase where the individual’s dental health is at a higher risk of terrible damage. Also, advanced-stage gum disease (periodontitis) can be life-threatening if treated late. It would help if you got proper periodontal treatment in Houston. Our periodontist in Houston is available to give you the best treatment you need.

What Are The Symptoms Of Gum Disease?

When a person has gum disease, they might experience the following symptoms:

• Bleeding gums (whenever they are brushing or flossing)
• Receded gums. The gums will begin to shrink as the gum disease progresses
• Bad breath
• Toothache
• Foul taste inside the mouth
• Sores inside the mouth that are not healing up
• Loosened teeth
• Change in gum colors (darkish red)

Once you start noticing these symptoms, you should visit a periodontist near you to confirm if you have gum disease. You can also book an appointment with our qualified periodontist at Patrick V. Nicosia, DDD, MS, Inc.

What Is The Difference Between Gingivitis And Periodontitis?

Gingivitis begins with bacteria that gets into the mouth from food particles. When you don’t brush and floss your teeth properly, food particles can get stuck at some corners of your teeth and gumline. Soon after, the food particles would mix with your saliva and the bacteria inside your mouth, causing plaques to build upon the surface of your teeth. If you do not get rid of the plaque, your gums will be at higher risks of getting irritated by the harmful chemicals that the plaque releases.

Furthermore, gingivitis is more like a warning. Although it is a gum disease, it is milder and easily treated compared to periodontitis. When the gum disease becomes advanced, your dental structure will have experienced some bad changes that are rarely reversible.

In gingivitis, the gums are irritated or inflamed. But periodontitis occurs when the bones beneath your gums have become infected. Periodontitis affects all the structure that supports the teeth, and that is why tooth loss is not a surprising incidence of periodontal disease. When the structures that hold the teeth together begin to collapse, the teeth would loosen and fall off in due time. The jawbones are not left out because they will deteriorate as the gum disease progresses.

Another problem with periodontitis is that the infection doesn’t end in the mouth. The infection can spread to parts of the body if the disease is left untreated, which can be very dangerous to your general health. Let’s move on to the causes of periodontitis.

What Causes Periodontal Disease?

This is a question that gets many dental patients curious. People often wonder why they have developed periodontitis, even when regular teeth brushing and flossing. Truthfully, brushing and flossing the teeth are the primary ways of practicing good dental hygiene. Dental hygiene is a lot more than regular teeth brushing and flossing. It includes a commitment to regular dental examinations, preventive dental treatment, and many more.

The following factors can cause periodontal disease:

• Untreated broken, chipped, or missing teeth. If damaged teeth are left untreated, plaques can quickly get stuck on them and begin to accumulate.
• Excessive intake of alcohol can cause dry mouth and increase your risk of dental infections.
• Smoking Cigarettes and tobacco can weaken the body’s immune system and make it harder for your gum tissues to rebuild.
• Cancer can cause a person to become vulnerable to all kinds of infections, including gum infections.
• Hormonal changes in the body include pregnancy, menopause, puberty. When the hormones are high, they cause the blood vessels to become more vulnerable to infections.
• Dry mouth or low saliva production
• Bad diet.
• Poor dental care, including refusal to frequently receive dental care from the dentist.