The Risks of Untreated Gum Disease

How often do you visit your dentist’s office near Glen Ellyn? Regular dental visits are an important part of spotting early signs of gum disease. Without these visits, patients are often unaware that their dental health is at risk. Keep reading to see how untreated gum disease can affect dental and overall health.

Bad Breath

Everyone experiences bad breath once in a while, but persistent bad breath might be an early warning sign of gum disease. Improper dental hygiene causes bacteria to grow on the teeth and gums, resulting in gum disease as well as seriously bad breath. Ignoring this symptom will only cause it to get worse.

Receding Gums
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. If left untreated, this stage will lead to the next stage, known as periodontitis. During this more serious stage, gums start receding and creating pockets between the tissue and the teeth. Food debris and bacteria start to build up in these pockets and can lead to infection and pain.

Bone Damage

As gum disease continues to get worse, it starts to affect other parts of the body. When receding gums allow the infection to move past the gum line, the body starts fighting the bacteria. Over time, this causes the jaw bone to start deteriorating. More bone damage will occur as the disease gets worse.

Tooth Loss

When gum disease starts damaging the jaw bone, it also damages the tissue that connects and supports your teeth. If you don’t visit a dentist, the bone and tissue may become damaged enough to cause teeth to loosen. You must then visit a family or emergency dentist for a tooth extraction. Missing teeth can start affecting other teeth, which is why it’s important to consider dentures or dental implants.

Diet and Nutrition Changes

When your teeth are infected or removed as a result of untreated gum disease, your eating habits may change. It will be difficult to eat hard foods, which means you will not be able to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-rich foods. This can lead to nutritional changes that may affect overall health and cause serious problems, including weight loss and energy loss.