Most people don’t take gingivitis seriously. They tend to believe that it is harmless and only consider it a minor inconvenience in the form of bad breath. However, gingivitis is an early step in the development of periodontal disease.

If you have signs of gingivitis but don’t notice them or even ignore them, then before you know it, your condition will become significantly worse.

Sings of Gingivitis

The issue with gum disease is that it slowly sneaks up on you. It is rarely painful, and if you don’t know what signs to look for, you may brush them off as something minor. Initial symptoms of gingivitis include:

• Gum that are red and swollen
• Bleeding gums during or after you brush your teeth

 What Happens if You Leave Gingivitis Untreated

Not consulting a dental professional immediately to get treatment for gingivitis can lead to severe consequences. It will soon progress and become periodontitis, which can be life-threatening gum disease. Unlike gingivitis, periodontitis is not easy to treat and can further increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Treating Gingivitis

Treating gingivitis is relatively easy and can generally be achieved within a single dental visit. Professional cleaning of your teeth and gums by a dentist is usually enough to tackle gingivitis, provided that it hasn’t started progressing towards periodontitis.

Afterward, maintaining good oral hygiene is key to making sure that the condition doesn’t come back. Maintaining good oral hygiene includes:

• Brush your teeth for 2 minutes at least twice a day.  
• Floss your teeth at least once a day, preferably before going to sleep. However, it is better to floss after every meal.

Making sure you practice this daily and keep an eye on swelling or bleeding from your gums can save you from many health issues in the future. At Severance Dental, we want to help you catch gum disease as quickly as possible, so you can avoid the uncomfortable procedures needed to reverse it. To make an appointment to discuss gum disease, please contact our Ault dentist today!