Gingivitis: First Sign of Gum Disease, or Something Worse?

Gum disease often goes unnoticed because people don’t always know what to look for. The sight of bleeding gums may make them think they were brushing too hard. Tender gums might be attributed to an allergic reaction.

In reality, these could be the earliest signs of gum disease: gingivitis.

Gingivitis can be pretty easily cured, but it needs to be addressed right away. Leaving it alone and not fixing the problem can exacerbate it, leading to full on gum disease or advanced gum disease.

While gingivitis is usually never more than a nuisance, catching it early on can save a lot of grief later.

Identifying Gingivitis

Gingivitis is often associated with bleeding gums, usually while brushing the teeth.

The bleeding is due to bacteria damaging and destroying the soft gum tissue in your mouth.

The sight of plaque around the gum line is also a common giveaway that gingivitis is present. This is actually the entry point for bacteria causing problems with your gums. The plaque around the gum line is waste left behind by bacteria.

If this plaque is not cleared regularly, it can harden, usually within 3 to 4 days, to form tartar. Tartar is much more difficult to get rid of without a professional cleaning from a Houston dentist, and it provides a safer haven for bacteria.

Other symptoms to look for include swollen gums, receding gum line, gums changing color, and persistent bad breath.

All of these are indicators of gingivitis taking hold, and you should visit your Houston dentist as soon as the symptoms appear to get them treated right away.

Diagnosing Gingivitis

Your Houston dentist will perform a visual examination of your teeth and gums and ask you about what symptoms you’ve been experiencing.

Based on your symptoms and the examination, the dentist can diagnose the condition as being gingivitis.

Getting this examination performed soon after discovering the signs of gingivitis can save you some major headaches (or toothaches) in the near future.

If left unattended, gingivitis can become periodontal disease, and that brings with it greater challenges for treating.

Gingivitis Treatments in Houston

In most cases, you can reverse the effects of gingivitis on your home with proper oral hygiene.

This means you need to practice regular brushing of your teeth, flossing, and rinsing.

While you can potentially reverse the effect of gingivitis at home, it’s still best to visit a Houston dentist so they can check out your teeth and gums.

If it is confirmed that you have gingivitis, they may recommend home treatment or possibly prescribe an antibiotic or medicated mouthwash to help combat the bacteria.

If no obvious signs of the gingivitis are detected during the physical examination, your local Houston dentist may recommend a complete medical evaluation.

Gum disease can be a precursor or a sign of other medical conditions, such as diabetes. A full medical evaluation will screen for these more severe diseases and provide a basis of treatment for them and the gum disease all at once.

This is another major reason to get checked out at the first signs of gingivitis. Whether it’s just the first sign of gum disease or a sign of something far worse, it’s always best to get checked out by medical professionals at your local Houston dental office.