4 Potential Consequences for Treating Gum Disease Like It’s No Big Deal
No one wants to have an oral health issue. No one wants to deal with gum disease. No one wants dental pain or to go to expense for their teeth. Unfortunately, there are some dental issues that, when ignored, can become serious very quickly. If you don’t get a cavity filling then you could end up with a toothache. If you don’t brush your teeth you could have bad breath. If you don’t get your gum disease taken care of, you could end up with some serious consequences.
- Pain and other side effects
- What could have been a minor issue could become a major issue
- You could lose your teeth
- You could be facing life-threatening health problems
Gum disease is associated with a long list of side effects if it’s not treated. In early gum disease you may notice that your gums bleed when you brush, or your gums may be inflamed and red. You may have bad breath that you can’t get rid of. Or you may have extreme pain in your gums. These are all potential side effects of gum disease.
In its most mild form, gum disease is known as gingivitis. It can come with many of the unpleasant side effects listed above, but the good news is that treatment may be nothing more complicated, painful, or expensive than a deep cleaning. On the other hand, if you don’t treat it and it turns into periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease, then you could have irreversible issues that can be expensive and painful.
One of those potentially irreversible issues you could end up having to deal with is tooth loss. This is caused by gum disease eroding the bone and tissues that hold your teeth in place. When not treated and allowed to get worse, this erosion will eventually lead to losing a tooth. This can be treated by replacing the tooth with a dental implant or a dental bridge, either of which are must more expensive and involved than just treating the issue in the first place.
Recent research suggests that there are ties between gum disease and an increased chance of having serious health issues such as strokes and heart disease. This research has also shown that pregnant mothers who have gum disease have a higher than average chance of delivering a baby that’s underweight, which can come with its own complications. Note that though it has been shown that there’s a correlation between these health issues and untreated gum disease, that doesn’t mean that gum disease is the cause. At present, the cause of the link is unclear but the link is there.
If you believe you may have gum disease or simply want to be screened for it, then we recommend making an appointment with a local California dentist by calling (800) 407-0161.
