Gum disease is an inflammation of the gum line. If left untreated, it can affect the bone that supports your teeth. Symptoms of gum disease can include swollen, tender, or bleeding gums. You could also be experiencing receding gums or persistent bad breath.

When your body senses threats like infections, lacerations, or foreign bacteria, it rushes to try to heal and protect the area being threatened. This inflammatory response in healthy individuals kills off bacteria and helps to speed healing.

Unfortunately, when it comes to infections in your mouth, natural responses to infection can create complications. When your body detects plaque, tartar, and bacteria in your mouth, instead of actively attacking the bacteria, it starts to protect itself by backing away.

If the early stages of gum disease are left untreated, gums will recede away from the teeth, which can trigger a variety of other dental and oral health problems.