If you have bleeding gums, chances are that you are dealing with periodontal disease. Over half of the people in the United States over the age of 30 are suffering from this gum disorder. When your gums are swollen and bleeding, they are infected with bacteria. If you do not seek treatment for this, the infection can spread. If the infection spreads, it can cause the loss of your teeth as well as the risk that an infection could spread to other parts of your body.

Periodontal disease can happen not only in the gum, but also the cementum, the periodontal ligament, and the alveolar bone. When periodontal disease first starts, it starts as gingivitis. This means that it only affects your gum area. If you have a severe form of the disease, all the tissues will be involved. Periodontal disease can cause a good amount of pain, especially if the infection starts to spread. You may experience pain in your gums as well as your teeth. It is important that if you experience any signs, that you call our office immediately to set up an appointment. Our periodontist will be able to start treatment to help you to treat the periodontal disease and prevent further problems.

Causes of Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is thought to be caused by the bacteria found in dental plaque. During the past few years, periodontal disease has been linked with several other health issues. Researchers are currently studying why gum disease and these conditions are linked. Conditions linked include:

• Diabetes
• Premature birth
• Respiratory issues
• Stomach issues
• Stroke
• Heart Disease

Preventing Periodontal Disease

The best way to prevent periodontal disease is to practice good oral hygiene. You will want to make sure that you are brushing at least twice a day as well as flossing regularly. Our board certified periodontist can help you to come up with a proper oral hygiene regime that will help to prevent this disease. In fighting against this disease, another important thing you can do is to make sure that you go to the dentist regularly. Coming to our practice at least once every 6 months will help you to prevent this disease. We will do a tooth cleaning that can help to prevent dental plaque from building up.

If you have any signs of bleeding or swollen gums, please call us for an appointment today. Left untreated, you could experience a great amount of pain and health issues. Even if you do not see any signs of periodontal disease, you should consider coming into our Abington periodontist for routine treatment. Routine treatment is imperative to your dental health and overall health. Give us a call today!

Contact Barry P. Levin DMD Jenkintown Periodontist & Implant Dentist at 215-635-0465.