se their solid foundations within the gums. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot of pain and discomfort, thousands and thousands of dollars in treatment and depending on how you look at it, usually a pretty happy dentist only in the fact that you are keeping him or her in business.

Your Dentist Is Your Greatest Ally

In all seriousness though, the dentist is your greatest ally in warding off the destruction of periodontitis. Forget th

Gum disease believe it or not, can be avoided or at worst managed at a level where it doesn't affect your quality of life. Take it from someone who has experienced gum disease at it's worst, brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day; it will be worth it in the long run!

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum or periodontal disease is described as the inflammation and infection of the gums. Plaque build up on the teeth becomes hard and is known as calculus. This is a real danger sign for people because left untreated, serious complications will arise over a period of time. Let me give you a "ball-by-ball" description of exactly what can happen:

- The bacteria in the plaque can damage the gums leading to gingivitis. Okay, it's a nasty sounding description but the good news is that it can be treated.

- If left untreated, periodontitis, an advanced level of gum disease "will come knocking" and trust me, it's not a friendly visitor. In fact, periodontitis just doesn't visit but sets about to not only seriously damage both teeth and gums, but eats away at the bone supporting the teeth. Ouch!

- Over time, the inflammation gets worse, the infection more severe, gum pockets begin to form because of the receding bone line and worse still, the gums begin to back off from the teeth.

- If the above wasn't bad enough, teeth begin to loosen, decay sets in, pain and discomfort becomes more frequent and it a nutshell, it becomes one hell of a mess. The end prognosis... a lot of teeth will be lost in the process which surprisingly can occur over a short period of time.

More Gum Nasties!

But that's not all! Sure signs of gum disease include red, swollen and bleeding gums, bad breath, abcesses which form between both teeth and gums and of course, teeth beginning to lose their solid foundations within the gums. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot of pain and discomfort, thousands and thousands of dollars in treatment and depending on how you look at it, usually a pretty happy dentist only in the fact that you are keeping him or her in business.

Your Dentist Is Your Greatest Ally

In all seriousness though, the dentist is your greatest ally in warding off the destruction of periodontitis. Forget the

calculus. This is a real danger sign for people because left untreated, serious complications will arise over a period of time. Let me give you a "ball-by-ball" description of exactly what can happen:

- The bacteria in the plaque can damage the gums leading to gingivitis. Okay, it's a nasty sounding description but the good news is that it can be treated.

- If left untreated, periodontitis, an advanced level of gum disease "will come knocking" and trust me, it's not a friendly visitor. In fact, periodontitis just doesn't visit but sets about to not only seriously damage both teeth and gums, but eats away at the bone supporting the teeth. Ouch!

- Over time, the inflammation gets worse, the infection more severe, gum pockets begin to form because of the receding bone line and worse still, the gums begin to back off from the teeth.

- If the above wasn't bad enough, teeth begin to loosen, decay sets in, pain and discomfort becomes more frequent and it a nutshell, it becomes one hell of a mess. The end prognosis... a lot of teeth will be lost in the process which surprisingly can occur over a short period of time.

More Gum Nasties!

But that's not all! Sure signs of gum disease include red, swollen and bleeding gums, bad breath, abcesses which form between both teeth and gums and of course, teeth beginning to lose their solid foundations within the gums. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot of pain and discomfort, thousands and thousands of dollars in treatment and depending on how you look at it, usually a pretty happy dentist only in the fact that you are keeping him or her in business.

Your Dentist Is Your Greatest Ally

In all seriousness though, the dentist is your greatest ally in warding off the destruction of periodontitis. Forget th

king" and trust me, it's not a friendly visitor. In fact, periodontitis just doesn't visit but sets about to not only seriously damage both teeth and gums, but eats away at the bone supporting the teeth. Ouch!

- Over time, the inflammation gets worse, the infection more severe, gum pockets begin to form because of the receding bone line and worse still, the gums begin to back off from the teeth.

- If the above wasn't bad enough, teeth begin to loosen, decay sets in, pain and discomfort becomes more frequent and it a nutshell, it becomes one hell of a mess. The end prognosis... a lot of teeth will be lost in the process which surprisingly can occur over a short period of time.

More Gum Nasties!

But that's not all! Sure signs of gum disease include red, swollen and bleeding gums, bad breath, abcesses which form between both teeth and gums and of course, teeth beginning to lose their solid foundations within the gums. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot of pain and discomfort, thousands and thousands of dollars in treatment and depending on how you look at it, usually a pretty happy dentist only in the fact that you are keeping him or her in business.

Your Dentist Is Your Greatest Ally

In all seriousness though, the dentist is your greatest ally in warding off the destruction of periodontitis. Forget th

in to loosen, decay sets in, pain and discomfort becomes more frequent and it a nutshell, it becomes one hell of a mess. The end prognosis... a lot of teeth will be lost in the process which surprisingly can occur over a short period of time.

More Gum Nasties!

But that's not all! Sure signs of gum disease include red, swollen and bleeding gums, bad breath, abcesses which form between both teeth and gums and of course, teeth beginning to lose their solid foundations within the gums. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot of pain and discomfort, thousands and thousands of dollars in treatment and depending on how you look at it, usually a pretty happy dentist only in the fact that you are keeping him or her in business.

Your Dentist Is Your Greatest Ally

In all seriousness though, the dentist is your greatest ally in warding off the destruction of periodontitis. Forget th

se their solid foundations within the gums. What does this mean? Well, it means a lot of pain and discomfort, thousands and thousands of dollars in treatment and depending on how you look at it, usually a pretty happy dentist only in the fact that you are keeping him or her in business.

Your Dentist Is Your Greatest Ally

In all seriousness though, the dentist is your greatest ally in warding off the destruction of periodontitis. Forget the old wive's tale that visiting a dentist usually results in a lot of pain both physically and financially. When it comes to severe gum disease, the dentist is like your "vampire slayer." Frequent examinations will involve thorough scanning of your teeth and gums. If there is any calculus build up present then it can be scraped away.

Remember, the calculus build up is ugly enough but it's only the first step in the evolution of gum disease. Regular checks will keep calculus build up under control; ignoring regular dental check-ups is like putting up a neon light in your mouth inviting "Count" periodontitis to visit. Believe me, you do not want anything to do with it!