{"id":1703,"date":"2024-09-12T11:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T11:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.micheldental.com\/blog\/?p=1703"},"modified":"2024-10-03T23:01:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T23:01:40","slug":"how-gum-disease-affects-face-shape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.micheldental.com\/blog\/2024\/09\/12\/how-gum-disease-affects-face-shape\/","title":{"rendered":"Hollow Smiles: How Gum Disease Affects Face Shape"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you\u2019ve heard of gum disease, you should know it\u2019s bad news. The condition<\/a> really harms your oral health and tends to be painful and irritating. Still, most folks aren\u2019t aware that gum disease affects face shape as well. Unless you get treatment, it\u2019ll make you look older and worn down. Your Topeka dentist will explain the matter in detail if you want. To that end, here\u2019s a primer on gum disease, how it affects face shape, and ways to avoid it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Context: What\u2019s Gum Disease?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To learn how gum disease affects your face\u2019s shape, you must first know its basics. Those facts will give you context and help you grasp the causes involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gum disease is an infection of your gums \u2013 the soft tissues around your teeth. It often occurs due to plaque buildup, usually caused by poor eating and bad oral care. The disease normally starts as \u201cgingivitis,\u201d a mild gum inflammation with only minor symptoms. However, it eventually turns into \u201cperiodontitis\u201d or a full-blown infection if it isn\u2019t treated in time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you may expect, gum disease is terrible for oral health in its advanced form. It can make your gums ache and bleed, loosen your teeth, and worse when unchecked. Most patients need a lot of dental work to repair the damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does It Affect Face Shape?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Though it isn\u2019t discussed much, gum disease worsens your face shape. It makes your face look older than you actually are in severe cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see, one of gum disease\u2019s more severe effects is tooth loss. That problem will make your jaw shrink and erode as it loses crucial stimulus. This slow erosion results in facial collapse, a condition that morphs your face to look sunken, hollow, and aged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While missing teeth can be replaced well enough, a shrunken jaw isn\u2019t easily fixed. Proper treatment may require invasive bone grafts that add tissue to your jawbone. For that reason (among others), it\u2019s best to prevent gum disease or treat it at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Can You Do to Avoid It?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, there are several great ways to reduce your risk of gum disease. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n