Dental Office of Crosby Family Dental in Highlands, TX is dedicated to your family’s dental health. We serve the whole family, from your child’s first dental check to geriatric dental care. One aspect of dental care that is often overlooked at any age is your gums’ health. Without the strong health of your gums, your teeth suffer and can be lost. There are two main categories of gum disease that concern your dentist. The first of these is gingivitis. Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums. This can occur when plaque is allowed to build up at the gum line. The plaque irritates the gum and the gum reacts by swelling, becoming red and then bleeding. If

you notice any of these symptoms in your gums you can begin treatment at home by making sure you are brushing after every meal and flossing daily. You can add a salt water rinse to your routine to discourage infection. You should make an appointment with your dentist for a thorough cleaning as well. There are other reasons you can develop gingivitis besides poor dental hygiene. Hormonal changes in women can produce these effects as well, and so can diabetes, being immunocompromised and certain medications. It’s best to consult with your dentist in any case.

If gingivitis is allowed to go unchecked the gum will react by pulling away from the plaque and gaps will form under the gum. Bacteria can grow there and result in infection. This is then diagnosed as periodontitis. We’ll discuss this further in our next blog. Be sure to check back and in the meantime, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to call our office.

Book an Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.