We’ve all heard about gum disease and how the damage is irreversible. At what point does it become irreversible and at what stage can we “catch” it before there’s permanent damage? Here’s what we believe.
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Stage 1: Blissfully Unaware
This is the most fun stage to be in but also the most dangerous. This is the stage where we just don’t realize what’s happening inside our own mouth! We bump along without a concern for the sugar we eat or how often we brush and floss our teeth. The danger here is that if we are not taking care of our teeth on a daily basis and are not having regular checkups then we are literally laying the foundation and preparing our mouths for gum disease. To read about five things that might be happening in your mouth that you should let your family dentist take a look at – click here
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Stage 2: Gingivitis
This is when we start to notice something is just not right. This is the earliest stage of gum disease where we experience inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gum line. If we are not brushing to remove this plaque every day it starts to produce toxins that irritate the gum tissue causing gingivitis. Here we start to experience tender gums and bleeding when we brush and floss. Gone is the fun factor of Stage 1. Stage 2 is also the only stage where the damage is reversible. At Orion Dental we are diligent on making sure that you don’t go past this stage. Learn more at https://oriondental.ca/gum-disease/
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Stage 3: Mild or Moderate Periodontist
Does it look like your gums have receded or pulled away from your teeth? Have you experienced pus coming from between your teeth and gums? Do you constantly have bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth? Welcome to stage 3! Now you can no longer ignore what’s going on and you are forced into a dentist chair to mitigate any further damage. Unfortunately a dentist can’t reverse the damage that’s already been done at this point and can only focus on the future health of your gums.
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Stage 4: Advanced Periodontist
Congratulations you’ve managed to avoid the dentist during the first 3 stages! Inevitably you suffer from the fibers and bones that support your teeth being damaged. This causes your teeth to loosen and without aggressive treatment they will either fall out or need to be removed.
You can avoid this by simply brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once a day.
For more information on Gum Disease go to https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/features/gums-problems-gingivitis#1 If you think you might be in any of The 4 Stages of Gum Disease and want to get proactive about the health of your teeth and gums make an appointment with your dentist for a health and wellness check up and make sure you’re having your teeth cleaned professionally twice a year.
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Orion Dental is a full-service family dentist with offices conveniently located in Milton and Scarborough. We offer dental services for the entire family. Our bright colourful waiting rooms with crafts for the kids help us live up to our reputation of being The Gentle Dentist! Call our Milton dentist office at (905) 636 – 9770 or our Scarborough dentist office at (416) 291 – 0306 and book an appointment today!
Click here, to read about Children’s Dentistry at Orion Dental.
Click here to read about our guide to Oral Health
