Periodontal disease causes major bad breath, and worse

Having periodontal disease can be a real pain - literally, in fact. Not only does this serious oral health condition cause rampant bad breath, but it may also lead to toothaches and deep, abiding gum pain. This is mainly due to the disease's severity, which is usually quite a bit worse than gingivitis.

Also known as periodontitis, periodontal disease is a more advanced form of gum disease. In fact, in its early stages, this condition is almost indistinguishable from gingivitis. Only later on does it become much, much worse.

This oral health problem arises because of bacteria. Periodontitis starts with what most of us already have in our mouths - namely, a little plaque on our teeth. This dense yellow stuff accumulates after meals. If you don't brush it away and use a specialty breath freshening, alcohol-free mouthrinse afterward, it can quickly harden into tartar.

Over time, tartar begins to extend below the gum line. The microbes that live in it start to infest your gums, resulting in the redness and swelling called gingivitis. However, this is only the first step on the road to periodontal disease.

Without a proper brushing and flossing regimen, tartar and plaque push farther and farther beneath your gums. After a while, your teeth begin to decay. Your gums get raw and inflamed. This constitutes periodontitis.

In extreme cases, periodontal disease causes the gums to pull away from the teeth. Bacterial infection pierces the bone bed, and tooth loss eventually results. This condition has also been linked to other serious health problems, like cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Rather than letting bacteria and bad breath get the best of you, knock them out now with specialty products and a solid, twice-daily brushing regimen.