The Consequences Of Gingivitis

Blog #2


In my last post, we talked about the gum disease called gingivitis. Now we’ll go over the consequences of gingivitis. When the capillaries are bleeding, the bad bacteria can get into the blood stream and arteries of important organs like the heart and brain. These bacteria scar the linings of the arteries and clots build up and slow or stop the blood flow to the organs. When this happens in the heart, it is called a heart attack and in the brain, it’s called a stroke. In each case heart muscle or brain cells die. The medical community is still studying the effects of blood inflammation on the pancreas and other important organs. The body’s reaction to chronic inflammation in the blood is not good.

Around the tooth, bacterial toxins cause the gum’s attachment to the tooth’s root to weaken. the attachment migrates towards the end of the root. This deepens the (periodontal pocket). The gums no longer show bleeding because the inflammation is deep. Bone that’s supporting the tooth is lost as the inflammation progresses towards the root end. Eventually the tooth will loosen and can fall out.

My next post will be: “THE PREVENTION OF GINGIVITIS (BLEEDING GUMS). If you have had gums that bled in the past, have your dentist confirm that the infection has not progressed so deep under the gums that it won’t warn you by bleeding. Call my office if you are unsure, 310-444-9900.