3 Risks of Living With Gum Disease

It is difficult to manage gum disease without treatment. Mild gingivitis will quickly escalate into periodontitis where teeth will become loose and eventually fall out. That is why you need to seek out LANAP right away. This is an FDA-cleared procedure that eliminates the harmful bacteria and reduces your risk of the following complications.

  1. More Severe Symptoms

You can recognize gingivitis from having red, swollen gums and halitosis. These are simple to identify but easy to ignore. If you allow the condition to progress, then you will quickly see more extreme symptoms that greatly decrease your quality of life. These symptoms include:

  • Infections
  • Development of pus around the gum tissue
  • Swelling
  • Bacterial pockets forming between teeth and gums

There is also the risk of losing teeth. After you have lost a tooth, you will need to get a dental implant or another restoration to have a viable smile once again.

  1. Increased Risk of Other Health Issues

Research has found bacterial infections in the mouth can enter the bloodstream and cause issues at other parts of the body. Studies suggest periodontitis can increase a person’s risk of heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis and stroke. Individuals with diabetes have a higher risk of developing gum disease, and the condition can in turn exacerbate symptoms associated with diabetes.

  1. Excessive Inflammation

The bacteria cause the body to overreact, resulting in inflammation. For some people, this inflammation will not clear up correctly. This can impact the bloodstream and slowly begin to damage blood vessels found within the brain and heart.

Contact Us To Ward Off Gum Disease

Dr. Andres R. Sanchez at PerioWest utilizes LANAP to treat gingivitis. It is an effective alternative to traditional gum tissue surgery because it uses a highly precise laser to kill up to 99 percent of bacteria in periodontal pockets. Contact us to see if it is right for you.