You may have gum disease right now and not know it. Roughly half of all American adults aged 30 and older do currently have gum disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms are often mild and difficult to identify in the early stages unless you’re getting regular dental checkups.
Untreated gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. There’s also growing evidence that gum disease is linked to other serious health conditions including cardiovascular and respiratory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, certain cancers, and dementia. Gum disease can also make it harder to manage conditions such as diabetes, and for pregnant women, may result in premature delivery.
What causes gum disease?
Dental plaque and tartar
Dental plaque build-up is the most common cause of gum disease. Plaque is a sticky substance created by chemical reactions between oral bacteria, salvia and food debris. The bacteria that lives in plaque secretes acids that eat away dental enamel, which can cause tooth decay and irritate gum tissue.
If you don’t remove plaque within three days, it solidifies into tartar (also known as calculus), a hard, yellow substance that forms along and below the gum line. Tartar is rich in bacteria, which further irritates your gums and triggers infections. Once tartar is established, it is almost impossible to remove it at home without the risk of damaging your teeth.
Your body responds to infection, injury and irritation with an inflammatory reaction intended to isolate bacteria and promote healing. But inflammation cannot remove plaque and tartar, so the cycle continues until you get treatment from your dentist. Chronic inflammation will eventually lead to periodontal disease, impacting your oral and overall health.
Gum disease and health conditions
Other causes of gum disease include hormonal changes that make gums more sensitive and prone to irritation. Illnesses that impact your immune system’s ability to fight disease can also make you more likely to experience gum infections. Diabetes can cause higher blood sugar (glucose) levels in your saliva which promotes bacterial growth and raises the risk of gum disease. Medications that cause dry mouth can result in food debris buildup (saliva helps keep your mouth clean) which can promote plaque growth.
Oral hygiene is also an issue. If you don’t brush and floss correctly and consistently, and see your dentist regularly, plaque and tartar will build up on the surfaces of your teeth and under your gums.
What are the symptoms of gum disease?
Gingivitis
- Bleeding gums when you brush your teeth or floss (this could be a pink tinge on your toothbrush, as opposed to obvious bleeding)
- Reddish, swollen gums
- Frequent bad breath
- Bad taste in the mouth
This is the earliest stage of gum disease. As noted above, symptoms may not be apparent at this point, but can include:
Periodontitis
This is advanced gum disease, a chronic inflammatory condition that involves the gums and bone supporting the teeth. It affects 47.2% of adults over 30 in the United States, according to the American Dental Association. Symptoms of periodontitis include:
- Receding gums
- Pockets (or sunken areas) between teeth and gums
- Loose teeth
- Teeth that have shifted positions (new or widening gaps between adult teeth)
- Changes in the way your teeth fit together when you bite down
How Is Gum Disease Treated?
Your dentist and dental hygienist can easily spot the signs of developing gum disease and can treat it early before it has a chance to develop and potentially permanently damage your health.
Tooth scaling and root planing (sometimes called a “deep cleaning”) are the most common treatment for gum disease. Your dentist or dental hygienist will remove plaque and tartar from tooth surfaces, including below the gum line, using special scaling instruments and/or with an ultrasonic device that vibrates the plaque loose. Root planning cleans plaque and tartar from root surfaces. You may also need antibiotics to reduce the mouth’s bacterial levels.
You may need multiple rounds of scaling and planing to completely clear plaque and tartar from your mouth. Very advanced cases of gum disease may also require surgical care to clear the infection and repair damage to oral tissue and bones. You may require restorative care to stabilize or replace weakened or missing teeth.
Your dentist may refer you to a periodontist, a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease and in the placement of dental implants, for treatment of severe or stubborn gum disease.
How Can Gum Disease Be Prevented?
Following good oral hygiene practices at home, making healthy lifestyle choices, and getting regular dental care is absolutely the best way to prevent gum disease.
Be especially conscientious about dental care routine if you have a family history of gum disease. If your family members have gum disease, your dentist may want to see you more often for cleanings and checkups. And if you have medical conditions that could be impacted by gum disease, such as diabetes, your dentist may also recommend frequent checkups and cleanings. Ask your dentist or hygienist to give you a refresher course on how to brush, floss and otherwise keep your mouth sparkling clean. They may also recommend using special mouth rinses or other products.
You may be putting off a visit to the dentist due to budget concerns. But with dental insurance from Aetna, your preventive dental care (which includes checkups, cleanings and – for those under 16 years old – fluoride sealants, among other treatments) is covered 100% – there’s no out of pocket cost when you visit an in network dental provider. Preventive care is the most effective way to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
You may also find that an Aetna dental savings plan, an alternative to dental insurance, helps you afford expensive restorative treatments needed to treat periodontitis and repair damage such as missing teeth. Members of Aetna’s dental savings plans get 15-50% off the cost of most services*.
Learn more about saving on dental care with Aetna dental insurance and Aetna dental savings plans today.
*Actual costs and savings vary by provider and geographic area.