An Overview of Gum Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Management

When looking up gum disease, you can easily confuse yourself with two terms — gingivitis and periodontitis. While both terms are associated with gum disease, there’s a slight difference.

Gingivitis is a mild variation of gum inflammation that’s usually caused by bacteria. Failure to hastily commence treatment can lead to the progression of the infection below the gum line and into the bone. At this stage, this gum disease is referred to as periodontitis.

However, this text centers around providing information on gingivitis.

Causes of Gum Disease

The teeth are far deeper in the gums than we see. At its deepest attachment, there’s a space present where food can get trapped.

Poor brushing and flossing allow plaque, a thin film of bacteria, to build up in this area, which hardens and becomes tartar. This holds the teeth in place.

Plaque and tartar irritate the gums and cause inflammation. Other contributing factors include an unhealthy diet and underlying medical conditions like diabetes.

The dental plaque present in this area triggers an immune reaction which leads to the damage of the gum and gingival fibers. This could subsequently lead to tooth loss.

When the gingival fibers are destroyed, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis. This causes the gum tissues to separate from the tooth and creates a deep sulcus (a depression or space), known as a periodontal pocket.

Gum tissue inflammation and bone loss worsen when subgingival bacteria (those that dwell below the gum line) populate periodontal pockets.

Other causes of gum disease are:

Crooked or Overlapping Teeth

Gum disease can also result from poorly aligned teeth. The crooked alignment presents small spaces between teeth that could be difficult to reach with a toothbrush.

This leads to an accumulation of bacteria and dental plaque in these areas, causing infection. However, you can easily correct this by using transparent teeth aligners.

Smoking

Another factor that increases the risk of periodontitis, either directly or indirectly, is smoking, making treatment more difficult or even impossible. However, smoking doesn’t always result in gum disease.

Hormonal Changes

During puberty, menstruation, or pregnancy, which are characterized by significant changes in hormones, the gums can become very sensitive. This increased sensitivity increases the risk of developing gum disease.

Medications

Some drugs, especially those that impact saliva flow (e.g., anticholinergic medications like scopolamine), affect oral health. Since saliva is essential for washing out bacteria from the mouth, when its flow is inhibited, bacteria can accumulate in the gum line, increasing the risk of gum disease.

Old Age

As people grow older, they become more prone to diseases, and gum disease is one of them. Research indicates that people from 65 to 80 years of age have an increased risk of developing gingivitis than younger individuals.

Poor Diet

Gum disease is also impacted by diet. For example, scurvy is likely in individuals who consume a diet deficient in vitamin C.

Aside from the bodily manifestations of scurvy, it can also present as gingival bleeding due to insufficient collagen synthesis. However, a diet deficient in vitamin C doesn’t lead to periodontal disease.

Prevention of Gum Disease

The teeth are constantly threatened by bacteria that cause gum disease. So how do you prevent them from causing damage to your gums? Let’s see how.

Practice Good Oral Health

It’s possible to avoid periodontal disease by brushing and flossing regularly. Brushing twice a day with the bristles aimed below the gum line disrupts bacterial development and the production of subgingival plaque if done correctly.

Flossing and using interdental brushes around the final tooth, the third molar, should be done once every three months (if the gap between teeth is large enough).

The use of an antiseptic mouthwash can help cure gingivitis when coupled with good dental hygiene, but it cannot help with periodontitis attachment loss.

Regular Visits to the Dentist

Regular dental examinations and expert teeth-cleaning are essential — at least twice a year. It’s important to keep track of your dental hygiene practices, as well as to recognize any early indicators of periodontitis.

Symptoms of Gum Disease

Considering the substantial damage that gum disease can cause to your teeth, detecting it early will save you from the pain that this condition provokes. Here are some symptoms to watch out for.

Swollen Red Gum

Gum inflammation begins at the gum line. This makes the gums feel soft and swollen.

While brushing, you may also experience bleeding from the gums. Red, swollen gums are usually the first sign of developing the disease.

Halitosis (Bad Breath)

Plaque, which accumulates on poorly brushed, flooded, or misaligned teeth, serves as nutrition for bacteria. Following ingestion, these bacteria release toxins that irritate the gums and teeth, causing them to have a foul smell.

Shrinking Gums

If you notice your teeth look longer, it’s because your gums are shrinking — due to bacteria-induced breakdown of your teeth and gum. This causes your gums to separate from your teeth, a condition known as receding gums.

Receding gums also lead to sensitive teeth as their sensitive parts are exposed. However, you can treat sensitive teeth via various means, including high-fluoride treatment and root canal therapy.

Treatment and Management of Gum Disease

If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should immediately set up an appointment with your dentist. The exact cause of your gum disease will determine the treatment you’ll be provided with.

If it’s due to poor oral health causing an accumulation of plaque, the dentist will carry out an in-depth cleaning that will go under the gum line using some special dental equipment. This procedure is done to scrape out the hardened plaque.

On completion, you may also be given some antibiotics and an enzyme suppressant to prevent further damage to your gum tissue. In addition, you’ll be provided with an antimicrobial mouthwash to include in your daily oral routine to control bacterial growth.

Wrap Up

There are various dental procedures available to treat and adequately manage gum disease. However, their effectiveness largely depends on how early you detect the condition for treatment. So, if you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, consult your dentist immediately.

Because of the impact gum disease has on your teeth, you may end up with bad alignment or crooked teeth. Rest assured, Linea Clear has the perfect product for you. Their transparent teeth aligners developed by top dental professionals make it possible to restore proper alignment to your teeth, giving you a perfect smile.

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FAQ

How do dentists diagnose gum disease?

When you feel symptoms of gum disease and consult a dentist, there are several things that they look out for. A dentist might use an x-ray to observe bone loss or measure pockets around your teeth to determine if there's an accumulation of plaque. Also, probing is done to check for inflammation.

How is plaque removed from the teeth?

Because plaque is the primary cause of gum irritation, it needs to be removed. A less painful but more expensive method of removing plaques is the use of lasers.

Teeth scaling constitutes removing plaque from above and below the gum line, while root planning involves removing plaque from the root.