Gum Disease treatment
What is gum disease?
There are three stages of gum disease; gingivitis, periodontitis and advanced periodontitis. Gingivitis is a fairly mild form of gum disease that impacts only the gums and is generally treatable, even reversible if caught quickly enough. If left untreated, however, gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, a much more serious diagnosis. Periodontitis will have some irreversible damage to the mouth. This stage has been associated with bone and fiber damage. If proper dental treatment is still not sought out, advanced periodontitis is likely to take place. In this final stage of gum disease, jaw bone loss, tooth decay, and tooth loss can occur.
Believe it or not, gum disease is sometimes difficult for a patient to notice because there is not always associated discomfort or plainly visible signs. However, if you have any of the following you should set up a consultation as soon as possible, since these may be signs of gum disease:
- Loose teeth or a change in your bite
- Redness, puffiness or swelling of the gums
- Bleeding from the gums while flossing, brushing or biting into hard foods
- Persistent bad breath or a persistent metallic taste
- Receded gums
How Gum Disease is Treated?
There are both surgical and non-surgical procedures that treat gum disease –
Periodontal therapy sometimes called scaling and root planing is the first step to healthier gums. This non-surgical procedure goes after plaque underneath the gum line and works on the roots of teeth to clean the area and prevent future buildup.
