You look in the mirror and see more tooth than normal and you notice blood on your toothbrush. Your gums look redder than normal and perhaps they are a little swollen. If you are lucky you have caught the gum disease early and with good brushing, flossing and regular visits to your dentist, you can reverse the effects of gum disease.

Unfortunately some individuals won't catch it in time and they will have bone or tissue damage beyond what tooth brushing and flossing can repair.

If you notice that your gums are bleeding, or that they are sore or swollen, or perhaps someone tells you that you have bad breath, you may notice a bad taste in your mouth, your gums look very red or else very pale, your teeth are painful or you notice loose teeth; it is time to notify your dental office and have an examination of your teeth and gums. It is especially important to seek dental care immediately if you have a fever, sweating, chills, or your face becomes swollen, your tongue feels swollen or pushes up from the floor of your mouth, if you notice swelling below your chin, that is red, tender or warm to the touch; do not wait, go to an emergency room if your dentist office is closed for the day.

Every time you visit the dentist whether it be for a routine visit, or because you have a dental problem, the dentist will conduct a periodontal exam of your gums. This exam involves the dentist using a probe to measure how deep the pocket between your teeth and gum are. You may need special x-rays that will help the dentist to evaluate your teeth, and the other structures in your mouth.

If the dentist discovers that you do have evidence of gum disease, a treatment plan will be discussed.

Your dentist will go over what self-care you need to perform at home as part of your treatment plan. Good oral hygiene is important if you want to reverse the effects of gingivitis.

Good oral hygiene:

Brush your teeth the proper way at least twice every day and preferably after each meal. Make sure you brush the inner, outer and chewing surfaces of each tooth. If in doubt about the proper way of brushing, your dental hygienist can demonstrate for you how to do this.

You should replace your toothbrush every 3 months.

Always use a toothpaste that contains fluroride unless otherwise instructed by your dentist.

Floss your teeth, making sure you get in-between each tooth upper and lower. This gets the plaque between your teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach.

Use a mouthwash daily that kills bacteria.

A well-balanced diet benefits your entire body including the health of your mouth.

If instead of just gingivitis, you have periodontal disease, you will need to have scaling and root planing. You will likely need to have more than one visit to complete this process. You will need a local anesthetic to reduce the discomfort of this procedure. The roots of your teeth will then be smoothed to allow the gums to reattach to them.

You will be given antibiotics and a special mouth rinse to take.

If scaling and planing do not correct all of the pockets, than you may require surgery to repair them.

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