Floss1There’s a disease that affects a large portion of our society, but not many people recognize it, or take steps to treat it.

Gum disease affects almost 50% of the American population, yet few know they have it. The early stages, known as gingivitis, rarely causes pain, and many times it won’t be discovered or treated until the subject visits the dentist.

The most common symptoms of gingivitis are puffy gums, bleeding when you floss or brush your teeth, and bad breath. A large portion of people overlook these symptoms, which can be a dangerous path to go down. Without treatment, gingivitis can advance to the more serious stages of Gum Disease.

Periodontal Disease, the more technical term for Gum Disease, comes when gingivitis goes untreated. The plaque buildup that causes gingivitis starts to pull the gums even further away from the teeth. This can lead to a serious infection at the base of the tooth, causing the tooth to loosen or even fall out.

So how do we prevent Gum Disease? Well, odds are that you already know. You’ve probably often heard your Dentist tell you to make sure you brush your teeth twice daily, and floss once daily. Those are the two easiest ways to keep gingivitis at bay! Regularly cleaning your teeth and gums properly will prevent plaque from building up and harming your gums. The third step to clean and healthy gums is even easier: see your dentist every six months. This ensures that any signs of gum disease are caught early on, and they’ll be sure to clean your teeth far more thoroughly than you can.