Oral Health Series #1: Gum Disease: Silent and Deadly

Gum disease can go on for years without pain and without detection unless specific examination procedures are performed. Visual oral examination by itself (even by a dentist) will not reliably detect gum disease until it has reached an advanced stage.

Signs of gum disease can include bleeding gums, redness of gum tissue, swelling or puffiness of gums around the teeth, bad breath, receding gums exposing more of the tooth's root, your teeth are looser.

Early detection and diagnosis is possible through the measurement of pockets (the space between the tooth and gum) with a probe- small gum measuring stick. Early address to gum disease is critical because the damage caused by the disease as it progresses is irreversible in most cases. And although the detection and diagnosis procedure is simple, painless and requires only a few minutes - millions of American adults have never had it done.

Our regular hygiene appointments include a routine probing of the pockets in the gums to test for gum disease. If you are due for your hygiene appointment, don't wait until you have a problem that could lead to an extensive dental treatment, schedule now. Call StarBrite Dental at (301) 770-1070 . We look forward to seeing you in the office.