When you brush your teeth and floss in the morning, you may be motivated for more cosmetic reasons: You want your teeth to look as pearly white as possible. However, proper dental care also plays a critical role in your oral health—in preventing gingivitis, or inflammation of the gums. Failure to address gingivitis early on can lead to more advanced gum disease problems, so knowing how to identify the signs of gingivitis is important.
Gingivitis affects more than half of the U.S. adult population, so it is a more common issue in dentistry than you may have realized. Here are the first signs of gingivitis:
- Your gums are swollen and red. They are also tender to the touch and bleed easily when you brush them.
- Your gums have pulled away from the teeth. As a result, your teeth look longer than usual. Because your gums have separated from your teeth slightly, pockets can form between the gums and the teeth. These pockets become areas in which food can easily be trapped.
- You feel that you constantly have bad breath, and you experience a bad taste in the mouth. This is the result of the food that has collected in your gum pockets.
The most effective ways to combat gingivitis is to brush twice a day and to floss at least once a day. In addition, stay away from tobacco products, which can make gingivitis worse. Furthermore, maintain a healthy diet, which keeps your gums and jawbone healthy.
You also need to visit your dentist at least twice a year for regular cleanings, as only dental professionals can remove hardened food debris from your teeth. This hardened debris, known as tartar, can actually make the pockets between your gums and teeth deeper, thus leading to an advanced form of gingivitis called periodontitis. Gingivitis is a major problem in dentistry, as it can cause oral discomfort and can quickly worsen if not tackled immediately.
Contact the office of Drs. Bonner and Huriega at 210-616-0858 today to find out how we can keep your gums healthy and thus prevent major oral health problems for you down the road.
