Gum disease is one of the common dental issues that affect our oral health. The side effects of gum disease extend beyond oral health as it can put you at risk of developing kidney issues, cardiac ailments, pre-term birth in pregnant women, dementia, and much more. Thus, it is important to take care of your oral health and prevent gum disease from happening, says the dentist in Spring, TX. If gum disease is not treated in its early stage, it can lead to periodontal disease which can be detrimental to your oral health. Advanced gum disease affects almost half of the Americans over the age of 30, says the dentist in Spring TX, 77379. Often, an unfortunate outcome of the advanced gum disease is tooth loss. However, with the advancement in treatment options, periodontitis can be treated.
The Dentist near 77379 says that gum disease is a progressive disease that can advance before you even realize. During the initial phase i.e. gingivitis, the infection happens as the bacterial plaque is not removed thoroughly from teeth. Some common signs of gum disease are red, swollen, and bleeding gums. This condition can be easily reversed with the help of brushing and flossing along with professional cleaning at the dentist’s office. If left untreated, the gingivitis can progress into periodontitis. Toxins from the buildup of plaque affect the gum tissue along with bone and ligaments supporting the teeth. The infection may further lead to tooth loss.
The non-surgical treatments are the first step towards the periodontitis treatment and if they fail to work, the surgical treatments are chosen. Let’s explore some of the common treatment options.
In this procedure, the dentist scrapes away the plaque and tartar off your teeth and beneath the gums. It is performed using a laser or ultrasonic device.
Root planing smoothes the root surface and prevents further buildup of tartar and bacteria. It removes the bacterial byproducts which cause inflammation and delay the healing or reattachment of the gums to the tooth surfaces.
Topical and oral antibiotics can be used for controlling the bacterial infection. They can include mouth rinses or insertion of gels containing antibiotics in the space between your teeth and gums or into the pockets after deep cleaning. Oral antibiotics may be required for completely removing the infection-causing bacteria.
According to the dentist in Klein, after scaling and root planing, if the gum tissues don’t fit properly around the tooth and you are unable to keep the pockets clean, the pocket reduction may be the right choice for you. The dentist removes infectious bacteria and smooth areas of damaged bone so that the gum tissue can reattach to the healthy bone.
When the gums get exposed due to gum recession, it can be covered with gum grafts. The gum tissue will be taken from your palate or another source and used for covering the roots of one or more teeth. Covering the exposed roots will reduce sensitivity and protect the roots from decay, preventing gum recession and bone loss, says the dentist in Louetta.
When the bone around the tooth gets damaged because of gum disease, bone grafting may be required. The graft can be composed of small fragments of your bone or a donated bone. It helps in preventing tooth loss.
It allows the re-growth of bone which was destroyed by bacteria. The dentist places a special piece of biocompatible fabric between existing bone and your tooth. It prevents unwanted tissue from entering the healing area and allows the bone to grow back.
This is another technique where a special gel is applied to the diseased tooth. The gel contains the same protein which is found in developing tooth enamel. It also stimulates the growth of healthy bone and tissue.
The Dentist in Louetta, Spring TX says that it is important to take care of your oral health when the periodontal treatment has been performed. Regular brushing and flossing along with seeing the dentist in every few months are important for maintaining oral health.