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Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, leads to serious oral, dental, and whole-body health complications if not treated and reversed. Prevented by good oral hygiene, gum disease causes problems for more than just your gums.

The care team at Russell Family Dentistry, led by Dr. Louis Russell, Jr, teaches patients from around the Tomball, Texas, area about the risks of gum disease, and how to protect your gums and whole-body health from harmful bacteria.

Here are some of the risks we want our patients to know about, as well as some of the techniques we can use to restore your gum health.

Causes of gum disease

Potentially harmful bacteria enter your mouth all the time. That’s why good oral hygiene is such an important part of your long-term dental and oral health. When you brush and floss daily, you remove the sticky film of bacteria called plaque that builds up on and around your teeth over the course of the day.

If you don’t regularly clear away plaque buildup in your mouth, the plaque eventually hardens, giving bacterial infection an entry point into the soft tissue of your gums. If that tissue suffers damage due to gum disease, dental and whole-body health complications often result.

Complications of gum disease

Gum disease proceeds in stages, from early to advanced. Early gum disease is also known as gingivitis. 

Without treatment, gum disease starts to damage and destroy the jaw bone that anchors your teeth. By advanced stages, gum disease causes serious oral health problems, including bleeding, painful gums, difficulty and discomfort when chewing, and an increased risk of loosened teeth and tooth loss.

But, the negative effects of gum disease don’t stop with your mouth. The bacteria causing your periodontitis can enter your bloodstream, traveling to and potentially affecting other parts of your body. 

Gum disease has been linked to rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory disease, and even coronary artery disease. Blood sugar levels often become difficult to control when gum disease is present.

Gum disease treatment and prevention

By brushing at least twice a day and flossing regularly, you improve your chances of avoiding gum disease. In early stages, periodontitis often improves with improved dental hygiene.

At Russell Family Dentistry, we regularly check up on the gum health of our patients. If your gums show problem symptoms like bleeding, we recommend improvements to your dental hygiene routine. We also offer expert support and treatment for more advanced cases of gum disease.

Together, we can reverse your gum disease, and keep your mouth, and your whole body, safe from harmful oral bacteria.

Learn more about the causes and potential complications of gum disease when you contact Russell Family Dentistry today. You can schedule an appointment online, or call now to book.