Definition
If your gums are swollen, tender and bleed easily when you brush your teeth, you're not alone — nearly 80 percent of American adults have some form of gum (periodontal) disease. One of the most common of these is gingivitis, which develops when bacteria multiply and build up between your teeth and gums, leading to irritation, inflammation and bleeding. If not treated, gingivitis can progress to more-serious gum diseases, such as periodontitis, and eventually to the destruction of bone and to tooth loss.
Yet gingivitis is both preventable and treatable. Although factors such as medications and lowered immunity make you more susceptible to gingivitis, the most common cause is poor oral hygiene. Daily brushing and flossing and regular professional cleanings can significantly reduce your risk of developing this potentially serious condition. If you already have gingivitis, professional cleaning can reverse the damage.
Symptoms
Because early-stage gum disease is seldom painful, you can have gingivitis without even knowing it. Often, though, you're likely to have warning signs such as:
- Swollen, soft, red gums.
- Gums that bleed easily, even if they're not sore. Many people first detect a change in their gums when they notice that the bristles of their toothbrush are pink — a sign that gums are bleeding with just slight pressure.
- A change in the color of your gums from a healthy pink to dusky red.
