Your once straight smile could suddenly appear crooked, and gaps, crowding, and bite issues may result. The teeth may become so loose that they fall out altogether or require extraction because there is no longer enough supportive structures to keep them in place.
It can also make the gums more prone to bleeding. 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.
Pain: Pain when chewing can be a sign that your periodontal disease has progressed from gingivitis to periodontitis. Tooth Condition: If you have gingivitis, your teeth should be firmly in place, although your gums may be irritated, red and swollen.
Stage 2: Periodontitis
Your gums begin to form “pockets,” deep hollow areas around the teeth that trap food, plaque, and bacteria. Your gums will recede and form gaps between your teeth. Immediate treatment is necessary to prevent further damage and tooth loss.
Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums, usually caused by a bacterial infection. If left untreated, it can become a more serious infection known as periodontitis. Gingivitis and periodontitis are major causes of tooth loss in adults, according to the American Dental Association.
If gingivitis is left untreated, it can advance to Stage 1 Periodontitis. This is when the inflammation in the gums becomes destructive.
So, how long does it take for gum disease to develop? One study found that if you're starting from level 1 gingivitis, it takes an average of 66.8 weeks, which is a little over 15 months, to develop into periodontitis. If your gingivitis is more advanced than this, it takes less time.
Gingivitis is sometimes mistaken for periodontitis and vice versa. They are both stages of periodontal disease.
Advanced Periodontal Disease: The final stage of periodontal disease is when the infection has evolved into disease-causing bacteria. It can cause redness, swollen gums that ooze pus, sensitivity, loosening of teeth, painful chewing, severe bad breath, and bone loss.
Gingivitis can cause dusky red, swollen, tender gums that bleed easily, especially when you brush your teeth. Healthy gums are firm and pale pink and fitted tightly around the teeth. Signs and symptoms of gingivitis include: Swollen or puffy gums.
In most cases, gingivitis usually clears up within 10 to 14 days. If your gingivitis is more serious, it could take longer to treat. Take charge of your dental health to prevent it from recurring.
Signs include increased swelling or redness of the gums, bad breath, bleeding during brushing or flossing, and probing depths that are between four and five millimeters. 3. Like slight periodontal disease, the third stage of periodontal disease (moderate periodontal disease)cannot be reversed.
Professional gingivitis care includes: Professional dental cleaning. Your initial professional cleaning will include removing all traces of plaque, tartar and bacterial products — a procedure known as scaling and root planing. Scaling removes tartar and bacteria from your tooth surfaces and beneath your gums.
Salt water can help to remove the plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums. Salt has healing properties that can treat and heal inflamed or swollen gums caused by gum disease. Even though salt water is extremely effective in helping to treat gum disease, salt water cannot cure gum disease.
Another preventative measure is to swish with mouthwashes for gingivitis because they can help kill bacteria and maintain gum hygiene. “Gingivitis is reversible with good oral care, but, left untreated, it often progresses to periodontitis,” said Dr. Kami Hoss, author of If Your Mouth Could Talk.
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.
If you have advanced periodontitis, treatment may require dental surgery, such as: Flap surgery (pocket reduction surgery). Your periodontist makes tiny incisions in your gum so that a section of gum tissue can be lifted back, exposing the roots for more effective scaling and root planing.
Gingivitis first begins as red, swollen gums. You'll feel discomfort and pain every time something touches them. This happens because the plaque that's resting on your teeth releases toxins that put a strain on your gum tissue. If these toxins are allowed to sit on your gum line, you will develop gingivitis over time.
If gingivitis is left untreated, the plaque can accumulate and spread to the gumline. Bacteria in the plaque release toxins, which irritate and inflame the gums. This triggers a chronic inflammatory response in the body, which damages the gum tissue and bone that keep the teeth in place. The result is periodontitis.
The patient may not quite guide the brush all the way to the gumline, or may not use the floss thoroughly enough to remove all of the plaque in the area. Alternatively, patients may not be brushing for a long enough period of time. This too can be insufficient to remove plaque.
The acute phase of gingivitis lasts on average 2-3 days but, starting immediately the antibiotic therapy, it can pass within a week. Clearly the duration of gingivitis varies from case to case and also depends on the treatments implemented. Fortunately, there are many ways to help stop the progression of gum disease.
Gingivitis. In the first stage of periodontitis, called gingivitis, you may notice red, swollen gums and bad breath. Gums might also bleed when you brush or floss. Gingivitis, which is reversible, can be treated by improving at-home dental care and visiting your dentist regularly for treatment.
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.