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Refreshing Periodontal Therapy
Red, bleeding gums, sensitive teeth, and persistent bad breath — do those symptoms sound familiar? If so, chances are good that you could benefit from periodontal therapy. The majority of American adults experience gum disease to some extent, and when caught in its earliest stages, the condition is easy to reverse. Your trusted dentist, Dr. Gary Rosenfeld, provides expert treatment for gum disease for nearby friends and families!
Warning Signs of Gum Disease
During your regular checkups and cleanings, we will monitor the health of your gums and measure any periodontal pockets to assess the need for periodontal therapy or additional preventive attention. Gum disease affects people of all ages, but the risk rises after age 35 and then again for people older than 65. Make yourself aware of the symptoms of gum disease to ensure you receive treatment promptly if needed.
Signs you may require gum disease treatment include…
- Bleeding, red, tender gums
- Swollen gums
- Gum recession (gum tissue pulling away from teeth)
- Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
- Sensitive teeth
- Loose teeth
- Missing teeth (in the most advanced stages of periodontal disease)
Treating Gum Disease
In the beginning stages, gum disease is usually easy to reverse with improved dental hygiene habits at home and a few extra visits to our office for additional cleaning. But once the periodontal pockets, or the areas where bacteria live, have reached a certain depth, we will recommend a deep cleaning. Also known as scaling and root planing, it is a nonsurgical treatment in which we remove bacteria around and below the gum line and then smooth the tooth’s root to prevent inflammation and reinfection.
Scaling and root planing is carried out over multiple appointments to your dentist. Local anesthesia and nitrous oxide are available to ensure you are comfortable throughout each step of the treatment. The bacteria that causes gum disease is stubborn and multiplies quickly, so to fully heal the gums of the infection, antibiotic therapy is usually combined with scaling and root planing.
In the most advanced cases of gum disease, when the infection has already begun to eat away at the bone tissue, your dentist may recommend surgical treatment to heal your mouth and prevent the loss of teeth and bone associated with periodontitis.
Gum Disease Prevention Is Easy
After we have helped heal your gum disease, ensure you are maintaining excellent dental hygiene to prevent its reoccurrence. Brushing your teeth for two minutes, at least twice a day and flossing daily are two critical habits for preventing gum disease. Avoid tobacco and stay on top of your routine visits to your dentist. Try to reduce the amount of sugar you eat, and maintain a nutritious, balanced diet to enjoy better oral health overall!
Scaling and Root Planing
The root cause of gum disease is the buildup of plaque, tartar and bacteria under the gumline that causes inflammation and infection of the tissues. As gum disease progresses and the “pockets” around the teeth become deeper, more plaque and tartar begin to accumulate. At this stage, a typical cleaning won’t remove these deposits, but scaling and root planing will. Also called a “deep cleaning, this non-surgical procedure is the first step in managing gum disease and keeping it from progressing.
Request an Appointment Today!
If your periodontal health is lacking, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at The Smilist Dental Medford. Healthy gums are an important aspect of solid overall wellbeing. Request an appointment for gum disease treatment today!