Frequently Asked Questions
Get Answers About Periodontal Care
What Are The Stages Of Gum Disease?
The first stage of gum disease is called “gingivitis.” In this stage of gum disease, no permanent damage is done to your gums or jaw, so it’s reversible with proper care. This is why it’s so important to get care for gum disease as soon as you can.
The second stage is usually called “periodontitis.” In this stage of gum disease, irreversible damage has been done to your gums and jaw, but it’s usually still possible to halt the progression of gum disease.
The final stage is called “advanced periodontitis.” In this stage of the disease, it’s very likely that you will lose some or most of your teeth unless you get expert periodontal care. Even then, it may still be necessary to extract damaged teeth, in some cases.
What Causes Gum Disease?
Primarily, gum disease is caused by poor oral hygiene. There are other contributing factors like age, smoking, and genetic factors, but poor oral hygiene is the most common cause of gum disease.
So to avoid gum disease, you should make sure that you brush twice a day, floss once a day, eat a healthy diet, and see the team at Joshua Austin, DDS & Associates for six-month teeth cleanings. With proper preventive care and at-home oral hygiene, you will never have to worry about developing gum disease.
How Can Gum Disease Affect Your Overall Health?
Gum disease raises your risk of certain other serious health conditions, including heart disease and stroke.
It’s thought that the oral bacteria that cause inflammation in the mouth can travel through the rest of the body, causing inflammation in the heart and raising your risk of a cardiac event like a heart attack or stroke.
