The Risks of Gum Disease

Gum disease, or as it’s known formally, periodontal disease, can be a huge health problem if you don’t take the proper steps to prevent it. Or, if you already have a mild form of gum disease (such as gingivitis) it’s a hard problem to reverse. It causes issues for your oral health, as well as directly affecting your overall well-being.

That’s why, here at Smile Time Family Dentistry we’ve put together this list of the risks of gum disease. We want to educate you on its potential dangers so you can do as much as possible to prevent it.

Tooth Loss

The most common risk of gum disease is tooth loss. When periodontitis reaches its zenith, it’ll attack your gums and the connective tissue holding your tooth to your jawbone. If you don’t do anything to combat this, you’ll lose your teeth.

Heart disease

Believe it or not, but gum disease has been related to heart disease – which is the most common cause of death in the United States. Some of the bacteria that gather in your mouth when you contract periodontitis are directly linked to causing serious health issues.

Diabetes

Gum disease can also cause diabetes, since gum disease itself is usually brought on by a combination of a terrible diet and a lack of oral health.

If you’re worried that you may have gum disease, or want a screening and advice on how to improve your oral health regimen, please contact us today for an appointment by calling 601-583-2000.