About Periodontal Disease

The dental community has made a tremendous effort to educate the public about periodontal disease. For whatever reason, the message hasn't taken hold as well as they would have liked. Over 80% of adults have some degree of this dental disease and many aren't even aware of it. Learning about periodontal disease and how to prevent it is critical to combating it. If left untreated, the damage to the teeth and gums is huge and even tooth loss is possible. To stay ahead of the game in terms of your dental health, here are a few of the warning signs and symptoms of this common disease.

• tender gums
• chronic bad breath
• loose teeth

Like any other illness or disease, the stages of periodontal disease are gradual. One of the first things most people notice is a change in their gums. It may only happen when they eat hard foods or it may manifest as a constant irritation. It isn't uncommon for bleeding to occur when the sufferer brushes and flosses the teeth. Due to this discomfort many people avoid brushing long enough or at all and further allow damage to the teeth and gums.

It's fairly normal to experience bad breath after a rich meal or onions or garlic. That isn't anything to worry about. However when it seems to be a continuous problem, there is a good chance that periodontal disease is likely the culprit. The bacteria that causes this disease also creates a dry environment in the mouth that allows for bad breath. The bacteria make pockets of infection along the gum line. It's pretty easy to see where the bad breath comes from.

In the case of severe periodontal disease, loose teeth are common. This results from in depth damage to the gums and the underlying bone of the jaw. There are treatments of periodontal disease at this point, but it is imperative to get help before the teeth fall out. Any type of periodontal treatment will help; just do something and fast. With any kind of luck, you have gotten dental help before this point, but it's nice to know it still isn't too late, even in light of the severity of the symptoms.

The best prevention is a good dental hygiene routine and regular check ups at the dentist's office. Periodontal disease can be controlled and eliminated from your life. For an all natural approach to dental care consider using OraMD instead of your regular toothpaste.