Whether you have mild to severe gingival (gum) problems, also known as periodontal disease, important and immediate steps must be taken to remedy the problem. The early signs of periodontal disease are mild to severe swollen gums, bleeding, halitosis (bad breath), gum recession, redness and, deep pockets. If periodontal disease is not treated, tooth loss will likely follow. The treatment of this disease will result in less ingesting of bacteria during meals and reduce the possibility of bacteria entering into the blood stream from the gingival tissues.