Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is caused from bacteria within the dental plaque found in your mouth.
Plaque can be described as the sticky material that develops on your teeth within a short time after brushing.
Your body's natural immune system tries to eliminate the bacteria by releasing substances that aggravate and harm the gums, alveolar bone, and periodontal ligament.
The result is swollen, bleeding gums, which is a sign of gingivitis-an early stage of gum disease.
Significant damage from this condition can cause your teeth to become movable and loose.
In the advanced stages of this disease, there is so much destruction your tooth may have to be removed in order to stop the progression of the disease process.
Fortunately, you can take preventive steps to prevent and slow down the disease process by practicing good dental hygiene and visiting your dentist for routine checkups.
Most people should visit their dental professional once every six months.
But if you have existing gum problems, you may be required to visit the dentist every 3 to 4 months.
Your teeth naturally build up plaque below the gum line thereby causing the gums to become inflamed and swollen.
When they swell up, they separate from the tooth forming a space or pocket between the tooth and gum.
This pocket provides a home for bacteria to grow and multiply which encourages additional plaque accumulation.
If the disease process is left untreated, it can spread to the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone which support your teeth.
As the disease process progress is it can destroy these structures.
Therefore it's important to maintain proper dental hygiene and remove all existing plaque.
Another reason to remove your plaque on a regular basis is to prevent it from hardening and calcifying leading to the formation of calculus, also called tartar.
Because calculus exhibits a rougher surface than your tooth's enamel or root, it can attract more plaque leading to further progression of the disease process.
There are several over the counter products you can use to fight the buildup of plaque on your teeth.
A tartar control toothpaste can help decrease the amount of calculus buildup around your teeth.
However existing tartar below the gums won't be reduced or eliminated by using this toothpaste.
There are also mouthrinses that help reduce the amount of plaque buildup.
These rinses contain the active ingredient zinc chloride which helps prevent and reduce the buildup of tartar.