Common Signs That Indicate Gingivitis
Developing good oral care habits is important if you want to have healthy teeth, but these habits are also important if you want to keep your gums healthy. Gum health is just as important as the health of your teeth, and you should visit a dentist if you have problems with your teeth or gums. Gingivitis is a common gum problem, and it is considered the first stage of gum disease. If you have this, you may experience the following signs.
Gums that are red and swollen
If you look inside your mouth at your gums and see that they are red and swollen, this could indicate that you have gingivitis. Gums should be light pink in color and should not be swollen or irritated. If your gums are irritated at all, you should seek help. This includes experiencing any type of pain or tenderness with your gums. For example, if you push on your gums with your finger, do they hurt? Does this cause tenderness or pain in any way? Pain and tenderness are both signs of gum disease.
Gums that bleed
Bleeding gums is another huge sign that you might have gingivitis. If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth or floss, this is one sign of gingivitis. When gums bleed at other times, even when you are not brushing or flossing your teeth, you should make sure you visit a dentist soon. Your gums should never bleed unless you experience some type of trauma to them, but that is the only reason you should ever see blood on your gums.
Bad breath that will not go away
One other sign of gingivitis is bad breath. Bad breath occurs primarily because gum disease is an infection. Whenever your mouth has an infection in it, it is prone to smelling bad. If you cannot seem to control your bad breath no matter what you do, it may be a sign that you have gingivitis.
Gingivitis is the first stage you will develop with gum disease, but it is not the only stage. If you leave this condition untreated, it will progressively worsen over time. As it worsens, it becomes harder to treat, and it also becomes costlier.
If you currently have any of the signs listed here, you should visit a dentist, such as Bewick Keary DDS. If a dentist can diagnose this at an early stage, it will be a lot easier to treat.
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