The healthy gums appear coral pink, firm and form a sharp place where they encounter teeth. When excess bacteria and food debris accumulate in the space between the teeth and gums, an adhesive called plaque is formed.
Plaque buildup can develop and harden into calculus (tartar), which can irritate the gums. Bacterial by-products (or toxins) in the tartar cause infection of the gums, reddening and softening, called gingivitis. Gingivitis is the initial stage of periodontal disease.
If you are not professionally cleaned to stop the spread of gingivitis, the infection spreads from the gums to the ligaments and bones that support the teeth. Tissue and ligaments will be destroyed; infections are likely to develop leading to swollen gingival abscesses, abscesses and gingival tissues. Teeth may become loose, gums may contract, increasing the space between the teeth.
Dentists remove plaque and tartar by cleaning teeth and apply special mouthwash or topical treatments to treat gingivitis. The treatment of periodontal disease involves more serious effects such as antibiotics and antibacterial agents, deep scaling of the root surface, removal of infected gingival tissue or tooth extraction. In order to avoid these potentially painful symptoms and therapies, it is important to detect the disease early.
