Gum Disease Treatment
Gum Disease, also referred to as periodontal disease, occurs with the progression of bacterial growth in the mouth. When left untreated, this condition can lead to other, more severe dental concerns.
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What is Gum Disease?
Gum Disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults and can develop for several reasons, including:
- Illnesses that affect the immune system or blood sugar, such as HIV, cancer and diabetes.
- Hormonal changes that can occur during pregnancy, puberty, menopause and menstruation that can make gums more sensitive
- Bad lifestyle habits such as smoking or using chewing tobacco
- Not brushing or flossing on a regular basis and neglecting oral hygiene
- Heredity and family history has also been shown to contribute to Gum Disease
Gum Disease usually begins as gum inflammation, also known as gingivitis. When left untreated, this can advance to periodontitis, resulting in the gum tissue pulling away from the teeth. This often forms pockets between the teeth and gums where debris can collect and become infected.
In advanced Gum Disease, the toxins produced by plaque and by the infection-fighting processes in your body can break down the bone between the gums and teeth, resulting in loose teeth and eventual tooth loss.
Gum disease dentist in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Saraosta, Parrish
Healthy teeth and gums for life with Parkwood Dental!
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, affects over 47% of adults above the age of 30. This increases to 70% above the age of 65. Gum disease is preventable and treatable- so come see our dental hygeinists at Parkwood Dental today!
How is Gum Disease Treated?
The overall goal of Gum Disease is to promote the reattachment of healthy gums to the teeth. This can be accomplished both multiple techniques, both surgical and nonsurgical.
Nonsurgical Gum Disease treatment includes having a comprehensive tooth cleaning performed. Plaque that has developed and hardened onto the tooth surface can only be removed with professional dental cleaning, and depending on the symptoms of Gum Disease that are already present, our doctors may suggest having your teeth cleaned multiple times a year.
Another nonsurgical alternative includes a technique called planing and scaling, a deep-cleaning procedure where plaque and tartar are removed above and below the gum line and rough spots on the tooth surface are smoothed.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Over time, the plaque containing this bacteria becomes hard due to minerals in the saliva- making it impossible to clean off with a toothbrush. We call these hard deposits calculus or tartar. The bacteria living in this calculus causes the inflammation and bone loss, which will continue unless treated.
A normal cleaning (prophylaxsis or prophy) is not effective on a patient with gum disease. It is similar to the idea of putting a band-aid on a broken bone. A normal cleaning does not remove the disease-causing bacteria, and therefore will not do anything to prevent the progression of the disease.
Gum disease is a major cause of tooth loss in adults.
Because gum disease is usually painless, you may not know you have it. Book an appointment with Parkwood Dental today to see if you have gum disease and learn how to beat it.