Caring for Your Gums Will Preserve Your Teeth
Caring for your gums is a vital part of oral hygiene. In fact, gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss. That’s why our team at Advanced Dental Wellness wants to help keep your gums as healthy as possible.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that results from a build-up of plaque on your teeth. Plaque is a thin filmy substance that forms in your mouth, and it is a breeding ground for oral bacteria. Plaque then hardens into calculus (or tartar), which can cause gum inflammation and bleeding.
In its earliest stages, known as gingivitis, gum disease symptoms may not seem like much. During this state, the gums appear to be inflamed and may bleed or feel sensitive to probing or brushing. You may notice that you have bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth.
None of these affect daily life in any particularly dramatic ways, but they are signs of much more severe issues to come, if left untreated.
The next stage of gum disease is known as periodontitis, and may show the following stages:
- Slight Periodontitis: The bones around your teeth have started to be affected by calculus. Bleeding and inflammation worsens and soreness will likely increase.
- Moderate Periodontitis: During this stage, the teeth may drift apart and start to have spaces between them. They may also look longer because your gums are receding. Your gums might develop boils or abscesses and you may notice worsened bad breath or taste.
- Severe Periodontitis: Characterized by loose teeth and sensitivity due to exposed roots. Bad breath or taste may be constant. Loose teeth begin to fall out.
How We Treat Gum Disease
Using the most advanced techniques in periodontal gum care, we can help you overcome gum disease. Left untreated, gum disease can affect your ability to chew, speak, and socialize. Gum disease can also lead to a host of systemic illnesses, as bacteria from the gums can travel throughout the body.
Advanced treatment at Advanced Dental Wellness includes:
- Scaling & Root Planing: An in-office procedure that removes hard and soft deposits of calculus (tartar) from the root surfaces of the teeth. Scaling removes plaque, tartar, and stains from the surface of teeth, and planing smooths out the rough areas on the roots.
Scaling and root planing encourage healing and reduce gum recession.
Dr. Raisch is experienced in treating gum disease and helping preserve healthy teeth and gums so you can keep on smiling for life. - Arestin® Therapy: We may recommend using Arestin therapy along with other procedures to reach difficult areas and kill bacteria. We typically inject Arestin into the periodontal pockets right after scaling and root planing. The medication kills bacteria for up to 21 days.
Sometimes gum disease can require more advanced treatments. Please watch these videos below to learn more about tissue grafting.
Free Gingival Graft Gum Disease
Connective Tissue Graft Gum Disease
Don’t let gum disease dictate your smile. Contact us today to take control of your dental health and eliminate gum disease!