How Do Gums Become Infected?
Gum disease is caused by plaque, a bacterial film that continuously forms around the teeth. Plaque is responsible for sore, puffy and bleeding gums, bad breath, loose teeth, and teeth that fall out. It is the main reason that people lose their teeth. Until recently, the prospect of losing one’s teeth was the main thing a person suffering from gum disease had to worry about. Now, a building body of research has discovered possible links between gum disease and heart disease, heart attack, stroke, respiratory problems, and low-birth weight babies. Bacterial plaque infects the gums (gingival tissues) when our brushing and flossing does not remove it. Plaque is composed of bacteria that can cause destruction to the gums, connective tissue, and bone that joins our teeth to the jaw. In the healthy mouth, there are hundreds of types of bacteria that naturally live there. Like most bacteria, they have names that defy pronunciation. Most of the inhabitants of our mouth are harmless members of t
