Did you know that advanced gum disease, or periodontitis, is the leading cause of permanent tooth loss? Bacteria can form plaque along your gumline and then penetrate the tissues and triggers an infection that often starts out small but can progress into more advanced stages if left untreated.
Continue reading to learn more about this common condition and the different options our team offers to help you stop gum disease in its tracks and enhance your dental health.
Gum disease occurs when germs in your mouth form residue along and then penetrate your connective tissues and trigger an infection. The earliest stage, gingivitis, can often be prevented and reversed by flossing more consistently during your twice-daily at-home dental hygiene routine. However, it’s also easily missed, meaning that it often progresses into more advanced stages.
Unfortunately, if your gum disease progresses past a certain point, it can only be managed rather than cured, so it’s important to address any areas of concern as soon as possible.
Understanding the signs of gum disease can help your identify potential issues in time to seek help before they progress. Gingivitis, the earliest form of the disease, starts small but if it goes untreated, can advance into periodontitis.
The various stages of this condition typically present with slightly different symptoms, outlined in more detail below:
Gingivitis
Periodontitis
Before proceeding, you must schedule an appointment so our team can examine your mouth to determine the type of gum disease present. Then, we will provide a customized treatment plan based on our findings to meet your unique needs.
We offer two services that can be administered separately or combined for optimal outcomes, depending on your circumstances.
This is the standard method of treating gum disease and typically requires two separate appointments to complete. During your first visit, our team will thoroughly clean your teeth and connective tissues with special dental instruments to remove even the most stubborn plaque and bacteria from deep within the pockets of your gums.
Then, we’ll schedule a second appointment after your tissues have recovered sufficiently to gently smooth the roots of your teeth, which prevents plaque from accumulating again and encourages your gums to reconnect with your enamel as they mend.
Our team also offers a topical antibiotic treatment using a mediation called Arestin. This is often applied after a deep cleaning to keep bacteria from repenetrating your gums after you’ve left our office. It’s carefully applied below the surface of your gums, then hardens into a wax-like substance that slowly dissolves over the next few days, giving the medication more time to kill unwanted germs.
