Caring for our oral health goes beyond brushing and flossing to keep our smile happy, healthy, and cavity-free. Like other areas of our well-being, our teeth and gums are susceptible to concerns, such as gum disease.
Gum disease is contagious, but it doesn’t spread through close contact like a cold or the flu.
When saliva containing gum disease-causing bacteria is shared through kissing, utensils, cups, or other activities, a person’s risk of developing gum disease increases, but it isn’t inevitable.
Early intervention through good oral health habits is key to protecting yourself against gum disease. The sooner you address oral health concerns, the easier it becomes to manage and prevent permanent damage.
All About Gum Disease
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is a bacterial infection that affects the gums and surrounding structures that support your teeth. It starts when plaque–a sticky bacterial film–builds on your teeth.
Routine brushing and flossing help remove the plaque that builds up on your teeth during the day. Unremoved plaque can harden to tartar–which only your dental team can remove–and inflame your gums, a condition known as gingivitis.
We can categorize the progression of gum disease in three main stages:
- Gingivitis: The earliest and most common stage of the condition. At this stage, no permanent damage occurs, and the condition can be reversed with proper oral hygiene and professional dental care.
- Early Periodontitis: If left untreated, gingivitis can progress to early periodontitis. Bone loss around the teeth may occur, but with prompt treatment, the progression can often be halted, though some damage may be irreversible.
- Moderate to Advanced Periodontitis: While treatment can manage symptoms and slow progression, the damage to the bone and tissue at this stage is typically irreversible.
Gum disease is much more common than you’d think. Research shows that 7 out of 10 Canadians will develop this condition at some point in their lives.
Gum disease can progress painlessly, but common symptoms to watch for include:
- Red, swollen, or tender gums
- Bleeding gums (especially when brushing or flossing)
- Persistent bad breath
- Receding gum line
- Loose teeth
- Pain when chewing
- Formation of pockets between teeth and gums
Its adverse effects aren’t limited to our teeth and gums. Untreated gum disease can allow harmful bacteria to enter your bloodstream. Researchers have found a link to general health concerns, such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections, affecting your overall health.
Ignoring gum diseases’ early symptoms allows the condition to advance, and what starts as manageable gingivitis can quickly snowball into periodontal disease, requiring extensive intervention.
Can Gum Disease Spread Between People?
You may be surprised to learn that while gum disease is contagious, it doesn’t spread through close contact like a cold or flu.
Saliva, shared through kissing, utensils, cups, or other activities, transmits gum disease-causing bacteria, increasing a person’s risk of developing this condition.
For example, if someone with gum disease shares a drink with another person, they could receive bacteria from their saliva that cause gum disease. And, if the other person already has poor oral hygiene, their chances of developing gum disease might be higher.
Sharing saliva doesn’t mean developing gum disease is inevitable, but other factors can increase a person’s risk, such as:
- Struggling with consistent oral hygiene
- Conditions that affect immune function, like diabetes
- Smoking or using tobacco products
- Having a family history of gum disease
Protecting Yourself from Gum Disease
Fortunately, gum disease is preventable and is treatable in its earlier stages.
Improving oral habits through consistent brushing, flossing, and regular dental cleanings helps reverse gingivitis. In more advanced cases like periodontitis, treatments range depending on their severity, from deep cleaning to medications or surgical procedures.
Adopting and maintaining great oral health helps safeguard your smile against gum disease-causing bacteria and supports your overall well-being:
- Brush and floss daily: Keep plaque at bay by brushing twice a day to remove food particles and bacteria. Daily flossing reaches spaces between your teeth where the bristles of a toothbrush can’t.
- Use an antibacterial mouthwash: Rinsing with antibacterial mouthwash reduces harmful bacteria in your mouth, helps to prevent plaque buildup along the gumline, and reaches areas that brushing and flossing might miss for an extra layer of defence.
- Limit sugar: Sugary foods and drinks feed harmful bacteria in your mouth, which produce acids that can break down enamel and irritate gum tissue. Cutting back on sugar helps maintain a healthier balance of bacteria, creating a better environment for your gum health.
- Quit smoking: Tobacco reduces blood flow to the gums, depriving them of essential nutrients and oxygen, and weakens your body’s ability to fight infections, making it harder to fight gum disease. Quitting smoking can improve blood circulation and restore your gums’ natural healing capacity.
- Visit your dentist regularly: Schedule professional cleanings and dental exams every 6 months. During a routine cleaning, your dental team removes plaque and tartar build-up brushing and flossing can’t remove, and check for early signs of gum inflammation or infection, allowing for prompt treatment before issues become more serious.
Keep Your Smile Healthy
Gum disease may be common, and contagious, but it doesn’t have to be inevitable. Knowing the risks and symptoms helps you take the right steps to safeguard your oral health.
Routine brushing and flossing is a great way to maintain a healthy smile at home, but there’s no substitute for professional dental care. A professional dental exam and cleaning helps preserve your beautiful smile by detecting potential concerns, such as gum disease, early.
Connect with our Shawnessy Dental Centre team to schedule your routine dental cleaning and exam.
