SIGNS OF UNHEALTHY GUMS

Gums are the foundation that supports teeth and make them stand stronger. Your healthy mouth must include healthy gums too. Your gums must ideally be of coral pink or a little darker pink color. To maintain good oral hygiene, you might regularly brush and floss your teeth and follow other hygiene tips. But how will you assess whether your gums are healthy or not? If the gums are unhealthy, not only are the teeth impacted but even your physical health gets disturbed. Here are a few signs of unhealthy gums to look out for and correct.

SWOLLEN & RED GUMS

Healthy gums must be pink in color, but if your gums turn to a darker red color, it might be alarming you about an infection. As you know, plaque builds up in the mouth every night, and also, when you consume sugary foods, bacteria feed on them and form plaque. This plaque is one of the dangerous invaders that spoil your oral health. Plaque usually settles on the gum line, causing inflammation of the gums. Your gums swell up and turn reddish because of this bacterial build-up. So when you find your gums swollen or turning to red color, visit your dentist and get your dental checkup done.

BLEEDING GUMS

Sometimes when you brush your teeth, your gums start bleeding. It is because of the plaque settlement on gums that gets disturbed by the bristles of the brush and bleed. You can try simple home remedies to stop the bleeding and gently brush and floss your teeth to remove the debris accumulated. If the bleeding remains persistent on the following days or the condition worsens, visit the dentist as it could be an infection in the gums.

BAD BREATH

Bad breath is not only a reason for embarrassment but also an indicator of an unhealthy mouth. Mostly bad breath occurs because of dry mouth. This is the reason for your mouth emitting a foul smell when you wake up in the morning. Bad breath also signals gum disease. When your mouth gets dehydrated, saliva production gets decreased. Saliva acts as the defense force in your mouth against unhealthy bacteria and prevents cavities, plaque and other infections. When the saliva production is hindered, bacteria form colonies on the gum line and damage the teeth and the gums. Gum diseases like Gingivitis and Periodontitis make your mouth emit a bad breath. Hence get your dental health checkup done to assess the health of your gums and find the root cause for bad breath.

CHANGE OF TASTE

Gum diseases not only impact your breath but also your taste. You feel a metallic taste in the mouth that could also be because of the bleeding gums; anyway, it is a sign of unhealthy gums.

RECEDING GUMS

Weakened gums begin to recede, and hardly can you find your teeth inside the gums. Receding gums also lead to the loosening of teeth.

LOOSENING OF TEETH

Gums hold your teeth tight and keep them in place but when the gums become weak, they lose their hold on the teeth. This gives the tooth an advantage to shake, shift and trouble the adjacent teeth. Sometimes the gum diseases make the gums lose contact with the tooth, leading to the falling of the tooth.

These are a few signs that alert about an impending gum infection like Gingivitis or Periodontitis. As soon as you experience these symptoms, pay a visit to your dentist and get your gums checked. Early detection and treatment save your time, money and efforts. Visit our dental clinic, The Elite Dental Care for your dental checkup routine and treatment of gum disorders. Elite Dental Care is one of the best dental clinics in Tracy, California, providing cosmetic dentistry, root canal, dental surgeries and other dental procedures to enhance your dental health.