Gum Disease - A Common Cause Of Bad Breath


by Jeff Clare - Date: 2007-02-25 - Word Count: 449 Share This!

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is a very serious condition that can affect your overall health, and can destroy the health of your teeth. Read on to find out how you can easily prevent gum disease for yourself and your family, and how you can notice the signs quickly.

Gum disease can develop if your mouth is not cleaned properly, or if you don't clean your mouth as often as you should. So, after each meal (or snack), you should make sure that you brush your teeth and/or rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouthwash. You should also make sure that you are flossing once or twice a day-although too much flossing may cause the gums to bleed. Bleeding however, could be a sign of gum disease, so if you are experiencing bleeding after flossing, then simply brush less vigorously gently and consult your dentist as soon as you can to see if you have and gum infection and to get more information on treatment.

Other symptoms of gum disease can include pain or sensitivity in the gums or teeth when you're eating, and you may notice that your teeth do not fit in your mouth the same way, especially when you are chewing your food. Sharp pain, particularly when you eat or drink hot or very cold food and drinks is often caused by the exposure of a nerve due to tooth decay or shrinking gums. This can be as a result of gum disease and needs to be checked by your dentist.

Puss around the gums, or gums that are extremely swollen are also signs of periodontal disease, so if you're experiencing any of these symptoms, you should contact your dentist or doctor immediately, so that you can discuss treatment options - some of which do not require surgery.

There are several treatments that you can take advantage of in order to get rid of gum infections, and many of them do not require surgery. You can get your gums and teeth thoroughly cleaned at the dentist's office if you are in the early stages of periodontal disease, and you may be given a regimen to follow that includes flossing or brushing with gentler utensils in order to heal your gums.

You can also talk to your dentist about soft tissue grafts, a procedure that uses soft tissue from other parts of the mouth to restore the parts of the gum that have been damaged. You can also undergo crown lengthening, which elongates the crown and makes the teeth look longer. Many times, people with short crowns experience gum disease because there is unusual gum space in the mouth, which makes it easier for bacteria to multiply in the mouth.


Related Tags: gum disease, halitosis, periodontal disease, keywords: bad breath

Jeff Clare writes regularly for Bad Breath Causes And Treatments where you can read many more articles on keeping your breath fresh. Also go to Halitosis Causes And Treatments for a range of informative articles on halitosis causes and much more

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