When that sticky, bacteria-loaded layer gets deposited on your gums, it slowly transforms into plaque. This whole scenario gives birth to all-too-common Periodontal Diseases, also known as Gum Diseases.
Periodontal disease is not just bad for your gums & teeth; it also invites several other health problems along with it. It increases the chances that you might get strokes, dementia, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. Surprisingly, it can also bring complications among pregnant women, such as premature birth and even cancer.
In this article, we are going to discuss in detail about various types of gum diseases, their dangerous impact, and how to avoid them.
Let’s get started, shall we?
Types of Periodontal Diseases
Mainly, the periodontal diseases are characterized in two stages – Gingivitis and Periodontitis. Let’s go through them one by one.
Gingivitis – It is the initial and less harmful stage of periodontal disease. As usual, it is caused by sticky bacteria film and results in inflammation of gums.
Food deposits and germs turned into biofilm – plaque gets hardened over time and converts into a barnacle-like substance known as tartar or calculus
If you have bad oral hygiene, it is difficult to get rid of this tartar. It continually grows and has a dangerous effect on gum bones and tissues, causing reddishness, intense pain & irritation, and sometimes bleeding of gums.
Periodontitis –When gingivitis does not get treated on time, it advances to a more severe form – that is Periodontitis. During this, the tartar stretches over the surface of the teeth, affecting both gum bones and tissues.
As it expands, periodontitis disparate the bone and tissues from the teeth, resulting in periodontal pockets.
You will experience more inflammation, bleeding, pain while eating, difficulty in brushing, loose teeth line, persistent foul breath, and much more. A patient as well experiences a release of puss, known as pyorrhea, from the gum area.
Other Problems Arise Due To Gum Diseases
- Gums & Brain – Studies are evident that gum diseases increase the amount of beta-amyloid in the brain, which results in Alzheimer’s. Some experiments also concluded that periodontal diseases also affect cognitive performance.
- Gums & Heart –Theories say that gum and heart can be linked due to bacteria. When the plaque expands, it gets in touch with all kinds of food entering our body. Moreover, if the inflammation of gums persists for long, it can damage tissues and organs directly attached with heart.
- Gum & Cancer – A study conducted in 2018 revealed that among 68000 adults, a link between periodontal disease and pancreatic cancer was found.
- Gum & Erectile Dysfunction – Both these diseases share common risk factors, such as tobacco and diabetes. Since erectile dysfunction is caused due to deterioration in blood vessels, doctors believe that tartar or hardened plaque might also mix up with the blood, resulting in malfunctioning of blood vessels.
Final Thoughts
The guide mentioned above is a piece of information everyone must heed on. Always remember, oral health is above everything, and it needs to be taken care of.
Treat your periodontal diseases today, so that you don’t lose your teeth tomorrow.