Symptoms:

• Bleeding gums (blood on toothbrush even with gentle brushing of the teeth)
• Bright red or red-purple appearance to gums
• Gums that are tender when touched, but otherwise painless
• Mouth sores
• Swollen gums
• Shiny appearance to gums

Signs and tests:

The dentist will examine your mouth and teeth and look for soft, swollen, red-purple gums. Deposits of plaque and tartar may be seen at the base of the teeth. The gums are usually painless or mildly tender.

No further testing is usually necessary, although dental x-rays and dental bone measurements may be done to determine whether the inflammation has spread to the supporting structures of the teeth.

See: Periodontitis