Many people talk about healthy and white #teeth. Well, the teeth tend to remain healthy and good looking only if the health of gums is in good state. Having that said, gum disease is something which can really make a mess of your oral health. But you may wonder about the type and extent of infection. Perhaps, you need to know if the infection your gums are suffering from is really the serious gum infection, which can lead to gum disease, or it’s just a temporary gum infection which is supposed to go away after some time. Nevertheless, you need to keep it in mind that majority of instances in which the gums are infected usually lead to gum diseases which require special treatments. Similarly, there are some ways you can avoid these gum infections and diseases in order to prevent any dental, oral and overall health issues. Recognizing gingivitis When it comes to gum disease, we usually talk about two conditions, i.e. #gingivitis and #periodontitis. Let’s talk about gingivitis. It is the reversible gum infection but it needs to be treated in order to be reversed. The major reason is that this infection is the milder one. Gingivitis occurs when you let the plaque to get hardened and turn into plaque. When you have gingivitis, you may find your gums bleeding, swollen, and reddish in color. However, teeth are usually unaffected in case of gingivitis. Recognizing periodontitis When you let gingivitis to stay there and you don’t do anything to treat it, the problem can get worse. In that case, the gingivitis can turn into periodontitis. This dental health condition usually involves gum recession due to which bacteria find their way to hit the internal part of teeth. From there, the bacteria and infection can affect the part of tooth that contains nerves and vessels. Hence, the infection can travel in to the entire body from there. When bacteria get into the bloodstream, it can activate immune response, leading to serious kind of gum inflammation. The problem can get even worse as the tooth may get loosened and you may need to get it removed to prevent further damage. Treating gum diseases Before talking about the ways to treat gum diseases, it is important to mention that prevention is always the best policy, especially when it is the case of gum disease. You need to make sure that you stick with your daily dental hygiene habits. Furthermore, biannual dental visits can help you stay away from all kinds of dental and oral health issues. However, when you are infected with gum disease, you have no time to waste. You need to consult your dentist in order to get your gum infection treated. You may need to go through a dental surgery to save the health of your oral cavity but it should be OK for you because worsened oral health can lead to serious health problems.

Photographic representation of calculus on the lingual of the mandibular anterior teeth. Heavy staining and calculus deposits exhibited on the lingual surface of the mandibular anterior teeth, along the gumline.

Simple description of the different steps of plaque formation

Gingivitis before and after scaling. (nine days between pictures).

Hailey Kossow, a dental health month participant, demonstrates proper brushing techniques for hard to reach teeth during a National Children’s Dental Health month demonstration at Anderson Elementary, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Feb. 10, 2015. Icemen from the dental office explained the importance of staying away from sugary foods, eating a healthy diet, how toothpaste is a vitamin for teeth and gave brushing and flossing techniques. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Racheal E. Watson/Released)

KOROR, Republic of Palau (July 28, 2010) Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Agnes Banias, assigned to the U.S 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), teaches a child how to floss at a Pacific Partnership 2010 free dental clinic.

The classification of the amount of gum that fills the spaces between the teeth. Embrasure spaces.

A little girl's trip to the pediatric dentist examining children's teeth.

Brush and floss your teeth every day.

Illustration of a plastic box of dental floss. Despite recent news headlines, dental experts still recommend daily flossing to keep teeth and gums healthy.

ulcerative necrotizing gingivitis

Really bad gingivitis, before and after scaling.