Tag Archives: San Diego Gum Disease

Occasionally when people hear that their oral health has the potential to endanger their lives they are skeptical. The reality is that small seemingly innocuous problems of the mouth can cause serious medical conditions some of which are life-limiting or fatal. One of the worst offenders is gum disease, commonly referred to as gingivitis. Essentially the problem is caused by a buildup of plaque and bacteria on and around the teeth. These creatures burrow down deep and can eat away the bones of the jaw. When it gets this bad it begins to manifest in the lost of teeth and pain in the mouth and is called periodontitis.
The clearest sign of gum disease is apparent when brushing and flossing. The tissue will become red and swollen and often bleeds. Even more common is the presence of halitosis, or bad breath. These may seem like fairly obvious signs but scores of people ignore these clear issues and let them continue to get exacerbated. The issue is that while the appearance is clearly visible there is often no discomfort. For most patients in the world the indicator that something is wrong and needs to be taken care of in their mouth is that they are in pain. It is possible to have advanced periodontitis and only have it begin to hurt as the tooth falls out.