{"id":2698,"date":"2018-07-28T19:00:51","date_gmt":"2018-07-28T19:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wemakeyousmile.com\/?p=2698"},"modified":"2020-07-14T23:03:15","modified_gmt":"2020-07-14T23:03:15","slug":"great-smiles-need-healthy-gums-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wemakeyousmile.com\/blog\/great-smiles-need-healthy-gums-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Great Smiles Need Healthy Gums Too"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most people don\u2019t appreciate how important healthy gums are to your oral health.
\nPeriodontal disease, a.k.a. gum disease, is the leading cause of tooth loss in the US. In other words, you need to take care of your gums if you want to keep your teeth.
\nGeorge A. Hoop, DDS, and the rest of our dental team work every day to help patients in and around North Naples and Fort Myers, FL maintain their healthy smiles. As part of that effort, we want to spend a little time today reviewing the warning signs of gum disease and reminding you what you should be doing to protect your teeth.
\nCall\u00a0(239) 594-8817\u00a0if you want to learn more about how our approach to general dentistry<\/a> could be good for you and your family.<\/p>\n

Learning the Signs<\/h2>\n

Do you remember when you were learning to drive? In addition to how to drive a car or truck, you also had to learn the meaning of various signs and signals. Those signs let you know what you could and should do.
\nWhen it comes to oral health, it\u2019s equally important to know the signs of potential problems so you can move in the right direction.
\nHealthy gums feel firm to the touch and appear pink, and they do not bleed when you brush or floss your teeth.
\nIf your gums feel swollen, look redder than usual, or bleed while you brush or floss, then you are likely to have gingivitis. This is a mild form of gum disease. The good news is that periodontal problems can be easily treated at this stage.
\nOn the other hand, if you ignore these early signs, then you are likely to develop periodontitis, which is the advanced form of gum disease. Coincidentally, the Centers for Disease Control estimate that nearly half of Americans 30 years old or older have some form of periodontitis.
\nYou should plan to visit one of our locations as soon as you are able if you notice any of these symptoms:<\/p>\n