If you knew that your mouth was headed for trouble, would you want to know? If you could apply the emergency brake and prevent yourself from having to undergo hours of dental work and the insertion of fillings as well as prevent the loss of teeth, would you do whatever it took? The answer is quite probably a resounding "yes!" To this end, the next question needs to be: Do you know what gingivitis looks like? If you do not, you should!

Little is more definitive of dental health than the absence, presence, or extent of gingivitis in your mouth. While the term is frequently bandied about in television commercials for a wide array of different dental hygiene products, very few actually know what gingivitis looks like. Generally speaking, gingivitis is best explained as being a noticeable inflammation - or reddening - of the gums (also known as the gingiva). The area of particular interest to the gingivitis detective is the gum line where gums and teeth meet.

A conspicuous reddening of this sensitive area occurs because of dental plaque that is sticks on to the various exterior portions of the teeth. Plaque itself usually cannot be seen - although there are some dental rinses available that help to color the plaque and thus reveal its locations on your teeth - but it is safe to say that each and every mouth contains it. Over time - within minutes and over the span of hours - it builds up and requires removal. Brought on by bacteria which reside in your mouth, plaque left on teeth will lead to tooth decay and finally necessitate the treatment of dental cavities. When left on the gums, this very same substance is at the root of causation of periodontal diseases, such as gingival recession, loss of connective tissues, and damage to the alveolar bone.

Take stock of the following symptoms that are almost always associated with gingivitis:

- Gums are swollen and bleed easily, such as when biting into a firm apple, while flossing, or simply when brushing with a soft bristled brush.

- The color of the gums is bright red, not the healthy pink that usually characterizes the inside of a healthy mouth, and occasionally may even shift to a more purplish or mottled appearance.

- One symptom sometimes associated with gingivitis is the presence of mouth sores, yet since they are a symptom linked with a large number of ailments and conditions it is wise to not rest a home diagnosis simply on the presence or absence of a sore or any number thereof.

Of course, the final determination about the presence or absence of gingivitis in your mouth should come from a trained dental professional, and visiting such an individual at least two times a year - although a higher frequency of such visits may be indicted if you have had dental problems or treatments in the recent past - will go a long ways to not only recognizing and dealing with gingivitis but to also remove the root cause: hardened plaque!