Gum disease may increase your risk of getting respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia, according to the Journal of Periodontology. The infections might be caused when bacteria from the mouth are inhaled into your lungs, possibly causing your airways to become inflamed.
In the early stage of gum disease—called gingivitis—signs such as bleeding gums and slight gum recession are ignored. However, if not addressed in the early stages, it is possible to experience swollen gums that are constantly tender, chills, fever, and a runny nose.
Inflammation related to gum disease has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. The cardiovascular system reacts very negatively to inflammation by increasing the amount of cholesterol and fats in the bloodstream which can build up on the artery walls to form plaques.
During the early gingivitis stages, gum inflammation can occur in as little as five days. Within two to three weeks, the signs of generalized gingivitis become more noticeable. If you still leave this untreated, it would progress to slight periodontal disease.
Gum disease can end up in significantly severe cases that seriously damage your heart and shorten your life. It may sound like an exaggeration, but bacterial gum disease like gingivitis leads to periodontitis. Periodontitis, on the other hand, can lead to life-threatening endocarditis.
But the condition may get even worse if left untreated. They may experience receding gums, loosening teeth, or tooth loss when it progresses into severe periodontal disease. If you wonder if you can live with this disease, the answer is yes.
Ask for an urgent dentist appointment if:
very sore and swollen gums. teeth becoming loose or falling out. ulcers or red patches in your mouth. a lump in your mouth or on your lip.
Advanced periodontitis is the fifth and final stage of gum disease, and it is likely that you will lose teeth or at least loosen teeth during this phase without immediate dental intervention. The infection impacts the jawbone, so teeth may be lost regardless.
Stage 4 of periodontal disease is the point of no return. At this point, even scaling and root planning won't be enough to treat your teeth. A dentist will probably recommend surgery or laser therapy to clean out the gums' deep bacteria deposits. The worse your periodontitis gets, the more it's going to cost you.
Advanced Periodontitis
The final stage of gum disease happens when extensive and serious damage to gum tissue and supporting bone occurs. This may cause your teeth to shift or loosen and the pockets to deepen. Tooth loss may happen due to gum tissue erosion. During this stage, your teeth become overly sensitive.
Gum disease results from infection of the oral tissues holding teeth in place. Bleeding gums, loose teeth, and even tooth loss are the main effects of this disease. Bacteria and the inflammatory molecules they make can travel from infections in the mouth through the bloodstream to the brain.
Gum disease affects your respiratory system. The bacteria from gum disease adhere to your saliva, which you inhale. In reality, gum disease causes you to breathe in the bacteria every time you inhale, causing pulmonary infections and respiratory problems.
Periodontal disease and other infectious diseases can work together to lower the immune system, increasing susceptibility to things like the common cold or the flu (virus).
If you have periodontitis, your teeth start moving in the mouth, making tooth loss a reality. However, if you receive gum disease treatment early, you can preserve your natural teeth and prevent the need to search for replacement options.
It's never too late to seek treatment for gum disease, and the degree of treatment you require will depend on how advanced it is.
Stage 3: Advanced Periodontitis
As the infection worsens, the pockets may also fill with pus. At this point your teeth might loosen or fall out. This stage of gum disease is irreversible, though dental implants (replacement teeth) are one option for people suffering from serious periodontitis.
Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around teeth. Without treatment, periodontitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. This can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is common but can usually be prevented.
The damaging bacteria causing Periodontitis are called anaerobes; they have a distinct odor known in the dental industry as “perio breath.” Quite frankly, it smells like death because it sets up a chronic disease in which vital bone starts to die off.
Gum disease isn't curable. It's only manageable. But you can't successfully manage gum disease without the help of a dentist or periodontist. This is because bacteria seep way down under the surface of your gums, where brushing and flossing can't reach.
Periodontitis Stage 1: Initial. Periodontitis Stage 2: Moderate. Periodontitis Stage 3: Severe with potential for tooth loss. Periodontitis Stage 4: Severe with potential for loss of all the teeth.
Periodontal disease is known to cause a metallic taste in the mouth, along with halitosis and other unpleasant side effects of bacteria directly attacking gingival and periodontal tissues. In fact, patients with periodontal disease are tasting decay, which you can sometimes perceive to be metallic.
You need to take the full course of antibiotics. Brush your teeth twice a day, in the morning and at night. Use a toothbrush with soft, rounded-end bristles and a head that is small enough to reach all parts of your teeth and mouth. Replace your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months.
Antibiotics. Topical or oral antibiotics can help control bacterial infection. Topical antibiotics can include antibiotic mouth rinses or putting gel containing an antibiotic into gum pockets. Sometimes oral antibiotics are needed to get of bacteria that cause infections.