When you take good care of your teeth and gums by brushing and flossing them every day, you may feel pretty sure that your smile is as healthy as can be. Because of that confidence, seemingly minor things like light bleeding in your gums or a change in your gums’ appearance might not prompt you to worry. However, at our Virginia Beach, VA, dental office, we can help you determine if such signs are a warning of gum disease or other serious concern, and help you address it with a customized treatment plan.
Your gums look darker
When gum disease first develops, its symptoms aren’t always immediately obvious. However, subtle changes may appear that can warn you of what’s to come. One of those changes includes the darkening or changing color of certain areas of your gum tissues. This can indicate the onset of gum disease, which results when oral bacteria accumulate on and infect a section of your gum tissues. The change in tissue color may not be accompanied by any sensitivity or pain, but if you pay close attention to your gums when you brush and floss, you’ll have a better chance of noticing it.
You see blood when you brush and floss
The infection that develops in your gum tissues can cause serious damage to the tissues as it progresses. This damage can lead to your gums bleeding when you brush and floss your teeth as a result of the pressure. When you rinse and spit, you may notice small spots or specks of blood, which you may believe is just a result of brushing and flossing too hard. While this may be the case, it can also likely be the result of infected gums, and you shouldn’t ignore it as a non-issue.
You can tell your breath is getting worse
Chronic bad breath is a common sign of gum disease, and for several different reasons. For example, the excessive buildup of oral bacteria that allows gum disease to develop can also result in increased bacterial substances that cause your breath to stink. Also, the presence of diseased gum tissues and the progression of the destruction can also contribute to increasingly worse bad breath. Like all of gum disease’s symptoms, the bad breath won’t go away until you seek professional treatment for gum disease.
Find out if you have gum disease
If you show warning signs of gum disease, then seek treatment as soon as possible to stop them from growing more severe. To learn more, schedule a consultation by calling the Absolute Dental Care office in Virginia Beach, VA, today at (757) 428-7440. We proudly welcome patients from Virginia Beach and all surrounding communities.
