What Are The Stages Of Gum Disease?

Bonney Lake dentist
Bonney Lake Gum Disease

What is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth. It is caused by the bacteria in plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If not removed through daily brushing and flossing, plaque can build up and the bacteria infect not only your gums and teeth, but eventually the gum tissue and bone that support the teeth. This can cause them to become loose, fall out or have to be removed by a dentist.

There are three stages of gum disease:

  • Gingivitis: this is the earliest stage of gum disease, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gumline. If daily brushing and flossing do not remove the plaque, it produces toxins (poisons) that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis. You may notice some bleeding during brushing and flossing. At this early stage in gum disease, damage can be improved, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.
  • Periodontitis: at this stage, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place are irreversibly damaged. Your gums may begin to form a pocket below the gumline, which traps food and plaque. Proper dental treatment and improved home care can usually help prevent further damage.
  • Advanced Periodontitis: in this final stage of gum disease, the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are destroyed, which can cause your teeth to shift or loosen. This can affect your bite and, if aggressive treatment can't save them, teeth may need to be removed.





How do I Know if I Have Gum Disease?

Gum disease can occur at any age, but it is most common among adults. If detected in its early stages, gum disease can be improved so see your dentist if you notice any of the following symptoms:

  • Gums that are red, puffy or swollen, or tender
  • Gums that bleed during brushing or flossing
  • Teeth that look longer because your gums have receded
  • Gums that have separated, or pulled away, from your teeth, creating a pocket
  • Changes in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
  • Pus coming from between your teeth and gums
  • Constant bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

How is Gum Disease Treated?

  • The early stages of gum disease can often improve with proper brushing and flossing. Good oral health will help keep plaque from building up.
  • A professional cleaning by your dentist or hygienist is the only way to remove plaque that has built up and hardened into tartar. Your dentist or hygienist will clean or "scale" your teeth to remove the tartar above and below the gumline. If your condition is more severe, a root planing procedure may be performed. Root planing helps to smooth irregularities on the roots of the teeth making it more difficult for plaque to deposit there.
By scheduling regular checkups, early stage gum disease can be treated before it leads to a much more serious condition. If your condition is more advanced, treatment in Bonney Lake dentist office will be required.

How Do I Treat Gum Disease?

Bonney Lake Dental
Although gum disease is an entirely preventable, it is a chronic oral health problem affecting countless adults. While there a number of available treatments, long-term care is often dependent on how far the disease has progressed.

Gum Disease Prevention
Ideally, prevention is the best method of protecting dentitions from gum disease. Effective prevention requires the establishment and maintenance of a thorough oral care routine at-home. Effective at-home oral hygiene routines should include brushing your teeth after each meal as well as flossing at least once a day.

Gum disease prevention should also include regular visits to your dentist’s office at least twice a year. During these appointments, tartar build up is removed and your smile is thoroughly examined for any changes that could indicate the development of gum disease.

Treatments for Gum Disease
Without treatment, gingivitis can quickly progress into more serious advanced periodontitis, leading to irreversible damage. However, with good professional treatment, it's possible to prevent symptoms from getting worse. If implemented during the initial stages, the following treatments can help prevent more serious consequences.

Root planing and scaling: Often used in conjunction, these treatments remove tartar from the teeth and prevent future accumulation of plaque and tartar. Scaling removes tartar from the teeth and below the gum line, while root planing is a process that smooths the roots of teeth to reduce the ability of bacteria to attach to the roots.

Antibiotic treatment: Your dentist may prescribe antibiotic mouthwashes such as chlorhexidine to control oral bacterial growth. Another treatment involves inserting antibiotics into the periodontal pockets or below the gum line to kill bacteria and prevent further damage to the tissues.

Advanced treatments: In severe cases of periodontal disease, advanced surgical treatments such as grafts of bone and soft tissue can help restore health and function while removing bacteria from the dentition. Another kind of surgery, called flap surgery, restructures the gums to reduce the size of infected pockets.


If you have gum disease, it's important to understand that this is a chronic disease that requires life-long maintenance. Without the right treatment or the development of a long-term maintenance plan, patients risk recurring disease as well as advanced progression. At our Bonney Lake dental office, our Light Dental Studios dentists are committed to restore health to our patient’s smiles through periodontal prevention, treatment, and maintenance. For more information about gum disease therapy in Bonney Lake, contact Light Dental Studios today.