Periodontal Disease Treatment
Gum disease treatment Grove City can help improve the health of your gums, the comfort of your smile and your overall well-being. Left untreated, gum disease destroys the gums and bone in your mouth and increases your risk of infection throughout the body. Gum disease treatment saves your smile and may even save your life. Learn more about the importance of treating gum or periodontal disease ASAP!
Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, is an infection in the gums, the tissues that support the teeth. It's one of the leading causes of tooth loss and usually develops when plaque builds up on and around the teeth.
Gum disease moves through four stages, and the treatment varies for each one. In the earliest stage, gingivitis, you can reverse the course of the disease. You can't reverse periodontal disease in the later stages, but you can treat it. The four stages of gum disease are:
As periodontal disease progresses, the signs and symptoms of it become worse. Some of the most common signs of gum disease include:
While the most common cause of gum disease is a lack of oral hygiene, other factors can increase your risk for it. For example, pregnant people are at a higher risk of developing gum disease, due to hormone changes. People with diabetes or those who smoke also have an increased risk of developing periodontal disease.
When you think of periodontal disease, you may first think of the effects it has on your teeth and gums. Without treatment, gum disease can lead to tooth loss and bone loss. There's also a connection between an infection in the gums and problems throughout the body. For example, untreated gum disease can increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
People with diabetes also have a higher risk of diabetes complications when they have untreated gum disease. For pregnant people, untreated gum problems can increase the risk of complications.
If you notice any signs of gum disease, even just a bit of swelling or bleeding, it's important to see your dentist right away for treatment.
The treatment for gum disease that's right for you depends on the stage of the disease. Treatment options include non-surgical and surgical therapies. Surgical treatment is usually reserved for severe, advanced cases.
The mildest form of gum disease, gingivitis, can usually be treated by your dentist through an in-office cleaning. During the cleaning, your dentist removes tartar and plaque from the surface of your teeth and the gums. An in-office cleaning along with a good oral hygiene routine at home can reverse the disease in the earliest stages, giving you a healthy and confident smile.
If you have a mild case of periodontal disease, your dentist may recommend scaling and root planing, which is a deeper cleaning of the teeth and gums. During scaling and root planing, we clean beneath the gum line, removing tartar and plaque. We'll also smooth the roots of the teeth, so bacteria doesn't have a surface to cling to.
Antibiotics kill the bacteria that cause periodontal disease. Depending on your situation, antibiotic therapy may be used on its own or with a deep cleaning to treat gum disease.
More severe cases of periodontal disease may require surgery to restore lost tissue or protect the teeth. During flap or pocket reduction surgery, your dentist will make incisions in the gum line, exposing the teeth roots. They'll then deep clean the area before repositioning the gums.
If your gums have started to pull away from the teeth, a gum graft surgery may be recommended. A gum graft replaces lost gum tissue, protecting the teeth roots and reducing the chance of tooth loss.
Whether your gum disease is mild or advanced, treatment helps preserve your smile and your overall health. If you notice anything concerning in your teeth or gums, contact our practice today to schedule an appointment in Grove City, Ohio.
We look forward to meeting you. Call (614) 350-5300 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
