Oct 28, 2010
Sep 11, 2012
April 2013 (7)
March 2013 (7)
February 2013 (8)
January 2013 (6)
December 2012 (8)
November 2012 (10)
October 2012 (12)
September 2012 (7)
August 2012 (6)
July 2012 (12)
June 2012 (14)
May 2012 (13)
April 2012 (12)
March 2012 (12)
February 2012 (13)
January 2012 (13)
December 2011 (11)
November 2011 (11)
October 2011 (12)
September 2011 (8)
August 2011 (16)
July 2011 (20)
June 2011 (14)
May 2011 (19)
April 2011 (20)
March 2011 (11)
February 2011 (24)
January 2011 (22)
December 2010 (31)
November 2010 (5)
October 2010 (18)
September 2010 (10)
August 2010 (16)
July 2010 (15)

Many people are aware of the dangers of gum disease, but do you know how to spot it? If your gums are red but not painful, do you have gingivitis? Questions like these have their answers on the websites of most major health authorities, many of which list bad breath as a symptom of gum disease.
Gingivitis starts with plaque, that yellow material that outlines the gumlines of individuals who don't brush often enough. You can think of plaque as the grout that ultimately cements gum disease into your mouth. If it is not removed by brushing or rinsing with a specialty breath freshener, plaque hardens over time into tartar, a crusty, tough material that gets stuck underneath your gums.
This material can irritate the gums, leading to redness, inflammation, sensitivity and even bleeding, the National Institutes of Health reports. halitosis is another common symptom of gingivitis, even when the gums are not yet infected or swollen, Colgate adds.
With time, careful dental hygiene can minimize oral odor and reduce the pain and redness of gum disease. Likewise, oral care probiotics, like the Aktiv-K12 Probiotic Kit, may gradually replace offensive oral bacteria with less irritating strains.






