It is easy to ignore some of the symptoms that come with gum disease. The swelling and inflammation may subside. The pain may come and go. The bleeding gums may not bother you. There are also plenty of excuses not to seek treatment for gum disease. It costs too much. You have to wait for an appointment at the dentist. You are too busy. The excuses and ignoring the symptoms do not take away from what gum disease does. It affects your entire body, including your mind.
The Physical Effect on Your Mind
Gum disease can affect your cognitive abilities. Research suggests a link between gum disease and dementia. Because the risks of both gum disease and dementia increase with age, it is something you need to think about. Gum disease can impair cognitive function. Memory problems and some other problems can get worse because of gum disease.
The Mental Impact of Gum Disease
Gum disease can change the way you think. It is more than just ignoring the symptoms or coming up with excuses not to seek treatment. People have to think differently about how they do things. Gum disease affects your appearance. You may worry about what others are saying and you may try to hide your smile because of the disease.
Even if you ignore the symptoms it can also make you change other habits. You may not want to brush your teeth for fear of bleeding gums. You may worry about losing teeth or some other problem because of gum disease. The fear and worry can cause you to isolate yourself and end up dealing with depression.
Gum disease is a real threat. It affects you physically and emotionally. Our dental professionals understand the importance of treating gum disease as early as possible.
If you want to know more about how to treat gum disease or any other oral health issue, contact the professionals at our office.
