Gum Disease in Mission Valley, CA

Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is a chronic condition that affects many adults in the United States. This disease affects your gums, but can quickly become a major issue for both the soft tissue surrounding your teeth as well as the bone that supports them. When periodontal disease reaches its worst stages, you can even lose teeth. This is clearly the last thing that we want to have happen, especially since keeping natural teeth in place is almost always the best option for your overall oral health as well as the strength of your teeth and gums.

There is a reason that maintaining good oral hygiene is so strongly stressed. Our mouths are not the cleanest places around. In fact, they tend to be full of bacteria that can quickly cause significant issues if not taken care of. This bacteria, for example, can quickly form tartar, which is a hardened form of plaque that is not easily removed. It cannot be removed by brushing or flossing, and must be removed by a dentist. Should you fail to visit your dentist promptly and have this tartar removed, it can cause issues with your gums.

There are a number of different levels of gum disease. Sometimes, this tartar can create an issue with your gums pulling away from your teeth and becoming inflamed and red. Other times, it might result in significant tissue loss that can expose the roots of your teeth. This can, if untreated, create some significant issues for your teeth. Increased sensitivity, for example, might result. Even more dire, however, are the risks that gum disease poses to your teeth should you fail to address the disease quickly. Bone loss, for example, could lead to loose teeth that must ultimately be extracted, leaving you with the need to find good replacement teeth options.

Gum disease can often be successfully treated, especially if it is caught early. Professional cleanings can help reduce the tartar on your teeth and improve the condition of your gums while simultaneously helping to prevent the spread of the disease. The only way to effectively treat the disease is by regularly visiting your dentist.