Many people (usually around 3 out of 4!) have symptoms of periodontal disease, which is an infection of the tissues supporting your teeth. These symptoms include persistent bad breath; bleeding gums (especially when you brush); red, swollen, and tender gums; gums that recede from the teeth; pus between the teeth and gums when the gums are pressed; permanent teeth that are loose or separating; changes in your dental structure when biting; and changes in the way dentures fit. Health gums have a healthy pink color, they do not bleed, and the gum line hugs the teeth tightly.
Here are the various stages of periodontal disease:
1) Gingivitis: The gums bleed easily when you brush, floss, or probe them. The gums are inflamed and sensitive to touch, and there is the possibility of halitosis and bad taste. The gums between the teeth may look bluish-red in color.
2) Early Periodontitis: The gums may start pulling away from the teeth, and the inflammation and bleeding of the gums is more noticeable. There is bad breath and bad taste , slight loss of bone (horizontally on X-ray), and there may be pockets of 3-4mm between the teeth and gums.
3) Moderate Periodontitis: The gum may boil, and abscesses may develop. Since the gums are receding, the teeth appear to look longer. The front teeth may start to drift, showing spaces. The person suffering often has chronic bad breath, bad taste, and both horizontal and angular bone loss (on X-ray). The pockets between the gum and teeth range from 4-6mm deep.
4) Advanced Periodontitis: The teeth become loose or mobile. Bad breath and bad taste are chronic, and the roots of the teeth are exposed and extra-sensitive to hot and cold temperatures. On X-ray, there is severe angular and horizontal bone loss, and the pockets between the gum line and teeth are more than 6mm deep.
So what should you do if you are having any of these symptoms? You should definitely go and get diagnosed and your teeth cleaned by your dentist. Also, a good gingivitis cure is PerioTherapy, which is a product line that focuses on gum care. Try it out!