Periodontal disease should be diagnosed and treated by your dentist or dental hygienist. This is best completed during a regular check-up.
At Montgomery Dentistry, we use a small instrument to measure the distance and depth of the gaps between your teeth and gum line. We also check the gums for bleeding and inflammation, as well as any loose teeth. Periodontal disease most commonly leads to increased gapping between the teeth and gum lines, however, so this will give us the best indicator of present disease.
The first stage of periodontal disease is gingivitis, where toxins from plaque aggravate the gums and lead to bleeding and inflammation. Periodontitis follows gingivitis, where the plaque hardens into tartar. This combination of plaque and tartar leads to gum recession and easy bleeding of the gums.
