Let us talk about how the color, shape, and size of your gum indicates the health of your gums. We use our mouth every single day talking, eating, smiling and might not pay much attention to the health of our gums until it starts to hurt or show sign of disease. Gums that are in good health have a light to medium pink color. Gums should look and feel firm when you press on them. Teeth should fit snuggly between them and not feel loose. These are signs that you have healthy gums. If your gums don’t fit the healthy gum profile described above, this could indicate that your gums might not be healthy. According the American Dental Association, gum disease is very common in adults age 30 and above. The severity of gum disease can range from very minor (i.e. gingivitis) to severe such as periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is the manifestation of untreated gingivitis when bacteria infects the gums eventually leading to bone loss. When the bone that supports the teeth is loss, the tooth will eventually fall out.
Signs of unhealthy gums
Gum disease just does not happen overnight, but it tends to gradually develops. These are some signs of unhealthy gums that you should not ignore:
- Your gums bleed often when you floss or brush.
- Your gums are tender, show signs of swelling, or look dark.
- Your gums recede showing more of your tooth than normal.
- Your gum feels sore and painful when touched.
- Your gum constant has sores.
These four signs of unhealthy gums could indicate that you might have gum disease or tooth decay. When gum disease is detected early, your dentist can help reverse gum disease. In the early stages of gum disease, treatment is very effective in reversing gum diseases. This could save you a lot of money without having to undergo complex periodontal treatments to try to reverse sever periodontal disease.
If you have persistent sores on your gums, this could indicate that you might have the herpes virus. According the American Dental Association, sores can be caused by two types of viruses called herpes HSV-1 and HSV-2. They can be very painful when you eat or drink. If these cold sores occur frequently and don’t heal, you should contact your doctor to seek treatment. The health of your gum is vitally important to your health.
If you think you might have gum disease, schedule your next appointment at California Dental Group by calling 800-407-0161. Our professional dentist can develop a treatment plan get your gums healthy.
