What you need to know about gum disease

More than 4 in 10 U.S. adults age 30 and older have some form of periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, according to National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Along with tooth decay, gum disease is the biggest threat to dental health.

Types of gingivitis and what they look like

Early gingivitis is known as gingivitis. Most commonly as a result of poor oral health, gingivitis causes the gums to become red and swollen. Other signs are bad breath and bleeding gums when brushing or flossing.

“There’s a tight cuff around your gums,” he says Vera WL Tang, doctor of dental surgery and clinical assistant professor of periodontics and implant dentistry at NYU College of Dentistry in New York. “When it gets irritated, it swells and creates a gap between the tooth and the gums. It can expand and allow food and bacteria to become trapped and embedded around the tooth.”

“Preventing gingivitis depends on good oral hygiene and keeping your teeth clean,” says Dr. Tang. If caught early, gingivitis is usually treatable. Treatment usually involves a thorough professional cleaning, known as exfoliation. The condition usually goes away if you maintain good oral hygiene and get regular checkups, notes Dr Mayo Clinic.

If left untreated, gingivitis can develop into periodontitis, a serious condition that causes the gums to pull away from the tooth and form pockets. Bacteria can collect in these pockets, leading to infection and possible bone loss. Teeth may become loose and need extraction.

Certain factors, including smoking and diabetes, can increase the risk of gingivitis turning into periodontitis, Tang says. Having a family history of gingivitis or early tooth loss may also play a role. If you have any of these risk factors, “you need to treat periodontal disease proactively,” he says.

How to prevent serious gum disease

You want to catch gingivitis before it becomes periodontitis, he says Angelo Mariotti, DDS, PhD, dean of the LSU Health New Orleans School of Dentistry. This requires a three-pronged approach:

1. Practice Good Oral Hygiene

To avoid gum disease, start by brushing twice a day and flossing regularly. “Use a soft toothbrush and be gentle when brushing,” says Tang. “Food tends to get caught along the gum line between the gums and the teeth. Turn the brush toward your gum line and loosen debris using a small, circular motion. Be very gentle and move away from the gum line.”

Tang says it’s okay to rub a little on the chewing surfaces of your teeth, not along the gum line. If you brush too aggressively, you can overdo it and wear down your tooth enamel or cause your gums to recede.

Flossing helps remove residue left after brushing. “Most periodontal disease occurs between your teeth, not so much on the brushing surface,” he says Peter Loomer, MD, chair of periodontics and implant dentistry at NYU College of Dentistry in New York. “That’s why it’s so important to floss in between.” Dr. Loomer says your dentist can train you on how to floss properly. “If you are not taught, you may not do an effective job.”

2. Reduce your risk of gum disease

“Talk to your dentist about controlling your risk factors,” says Dr. Mariotti. If you smoke, the increased risk of gingivitis is another reason to quit. A healthy diet can help prevent gum disease and keep your entire body healthy. “Hard crunchy foods like carrots are great for cleaning tooth surfaces and removing plaque,” says Tang. “Chewing sugar-free gum after eating also gets saliva flowing and helps remove debris from around your teeth.” Minimize the amount of sugar you eat and include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet.

3. Visit the dentist regularly

The dentist is your partner in good oral health and gingivitis prevention. But according to one analysis on access to care, Americans are more likely to skip routine dental care than other types of health care. Early gum disease generally doesn’t hurt or cause symptoms, Mariotti says. So it can develop over years if you don’t see your dentist regularly. A dentist can monitor your gums over time to see how they change. Most people should visit their dentist twice a year for a check-up and cleaning to remove tartar (calcified plaque) from your teeth. “You can’t remove plaque,” says Loomer. “It must be removed with special instruments.”

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