Signs and symptoms of periodontal disease

Periodontal disease is a form of gum disease that is one of the more extreme conditions your mouth can experience. It is further along than gingivitis, which is an earlier stage gum disease. Both of these share many of the same symptoms, so identifying the problem areas earlier on can help you prevent periodontal disease and the serious consequences that can stem from the condition. The Cause of Periodontal Disease There are several different causes behind the development of periodontal disease. First, it comes from poor oral hygiene. If you do not brush and floss on a daily basis, it is much easier to develop gingivitis, which can eventually lead to periodontal disease. Also, bad personal habits, such as smoking, make it harder for the tissue inside of your mouth to repair itself. This means your gums are going to break down far easier than someone who does not smoke. Beyond this though, hormonal change can cause the development of periodontal disease. Like Pregnancy is one possible cause, as is puberty and even monthly menstruation. Hormone shots, such as those for gender reassignment surgery is also a major cause of periodontal disease and the other forms of gum disease. Some medications can cause it, and illnesses do play a factor as well. Cancer, HIV and diabetes all may bring about periodontal disease. The Signs and Symptoms of Periodontal Disease There are different symptoms associated with the disease. The first is you are going to see blood coming from your gums after you brush your teeth. This may occur every single time you brush, even though you are not pushing hard. After this, you are likely going to see red, tender and swollen gums, not to mention the persistence of a bad taste in your mouth and bad breath. If you have noticed receding gums around your teeth, you may be seeing periodontal disease develop right in front of you. This is also going to result in the formation of pockets between your teeth and gums, which allows food particles and other debris to enter the gums. When this happens, it can cause your teeth to start to rot out around the roots, not to mention the develop of other problems with your gums. These deep pockets also open you up to loose teeth and even the way your teeth fit together when you bite down. Diagnoses of Periodontal Disease There are different ways the dentist is going to diagnose your condition. First, they are going to look for bleeding and swelling gums, the depth of the pockets between the gum and your teeth, plus the overall firmness level of your gums. They are going to look at your jawbone in order to determine any sort of breakdown in the bone structure around your teeth and also investigate the teeth alignment and the sensitive level. Once they have identified periodontal disease, there are few different courses of action, depending on the severity level. First, they are going to require you to brush with a special toothpaste at least twice a day, not to mention floss as well. This tooth paste is designed to promote gum health and reduce the pocket sizes. However, if the sizes are too large, they might need to perform surgery to remove the excess tissue around your teeth.