Are your gums easily irritated or swollen? Do they bleed when you brush and floss them? If your gums have been red or sensitive for a while there is a good chance that you could be dealing with the early stages of gum disease, otherwise known as gingivitis.
This is not uncommon. More than half of all Americans have an advanced stage of gum or periodontal disease. While the causes do vary, you can beat these numbers by staying on top of your health, and maintaining good oral hygiene.
If you already know you have periodontal disease, our dentists can help by making your gums healthy again. During your initial consultation, we will assess the situation and determine which treatment method would work best for your individual needs.
We have many options available to restore health to your teeth and gums: scaling and root planing (SRPs), ozone therapy, laser dentistry, and medication.
Initial Examination
Your gum irritation may be anywhere from mild to severe, but symptoms will get worse if the condition is left untreated. The infection is caused by plaque that accumulates in the gums. When this bacteria spreads, it can cause tooth loss and more serious health problems including respiratory disease and coronary artery disease.
Fortunately, with modern dentistry, there is no need to panic. Our dentists can proactively address the situation by performing an initial consultation on your gums.
This involves a dental probe used to measure the pockets in your gums. If we find that they are unhealthy we might perform additional tests to determine the severity of the progression of the periodontal disease. We will come up with a plan to determine the appropriate course of action.
Stop Gum Disease In Its Tracks
Our dentists are trained professionals at treating any infection that grows beneath your gums. We use the most advanced technology available to eradicate the disease before it can cause tooth and bone loss.
- Scaling & Root Planing: Scaling and root planing is the process of cleaning out the pockets of gum that have separated from your teeth, then reattaching them to the teeth using a special tool.
- Ozone: Ozone has a long history of being used in dental applications. It is a harmless, minimally-invasive procedure that consists of the application of gas that is designed to kill the bacteria that is living underneath your gums.
- Laser Dentistry: We also have dental lasers available that are designed to remove the inflamed tissue around your gums that are the result of gum disease. After doing this we remove the plaque and tartar that has built up inside of your gums.
- Medication: We may also give you an oral antibiotic medication for you to take instead of, or in addition to, one of the other deep cleaning methods. If the periodontal disease has taken root, the medication will be necessary to curb the infection’s effects through the rest of your body.
While all of these treatments are designed to remove the infection, maintaining the results is up to you. We will provide you with the education necessary to make sure that you continue to stay healthy after you leave our office.
Your Oral Health
Brushing twice daily and flossing are the best things that you do daily to promote your oral health and prevent gingivitis. When you don’t do this, plaque builds up on your teeth which then forms into tartar that hardens beneath your gum line.
Once this happens, bacteria grows beneath your gum line and becomes infected. This bacteria is not easy to remove on your own. All of this can be avoided by consistently taking care of your oral health to remove the plaque that grows on your teeth every day.
Take Your First Step To Beat Gum Disease
Even if you’re not sure you have gum disease, don’t wait until the infection gets painful or dangerous. Take action now. Our office is here to help! Call today to schedule your appointment and get back your oral health.