What is Gum Disease?

The problem wouldn't be so common if more people knew what is gum disease. This common oral problem is often an unknown threat for many people as public, easy accessible information is hard to come by. The truth is gum disease can trigger a host of problems. Starting with something as minor as bad breath and working its way up to tooth loss. Learning more about gum disease is an effective method for preventing it. So here you go on a short, quick lesson about this very preventable disease.

• History
• common causes of gum disease
• common symptoms

Periodontal or gum disease first achieved world wide notice during World War I. It was during this time that soldiers began to develop the disease in wide numbers. The cause was felt to have been due to the harsh, unpleasant conditions in the trenches. From this theory came the name "trench mouth." After achieving such notoriety gum disease has gone on to affect millions of people every year.

As far as common causes go, the primary culprit is anaerobic bacteria. This bacteria creates pockets in between the teeth and gums and continues to do its damage from there. Other health issues, like diabetes and heart disease often accentuate the effects of gum disease. Poor nutrition and a lack of hydration are also the allies of gum disease. Knowing what are gum disease and its causes is key to avoiding suffering the same fate as thousands of others each year.

One of the biggest problems with spotting gum disease early is that the early symptoms are so unremarkable. There is usually little to no pain associated with gum disease, at least in the beginning. You may experience bleeding gums when you brush your teeth, floss, or eat hard foods or raw vegetables. A mild version of halitosis may become an embarrassing part of life. Another symptom of periodontal disease is a twinge of soreness or tenderness about the gums. Each one of those can be easily explained away. Unfortunately that is exactly the reason why this disease is allowed to cause the damage it sometimes does.

So what is gum disease? It's a bacteria born oral infection that without treatment is very harmful to your oral health. Preventative measures like using an all natural dental product like OraMD® helps a great deal. Understanding how this disease happens will help you avoid it damaging your oral health.