In truth, your gums are as crucial to good oral health as your teeth. These tissues support your pearly whites and provide a foundation for tooth roots. Still, they could develop gum disease if you aren’t careful. Your mouth would then be in serious trouble. Luckily, our office can provide you with top-tier gum disease treatment! This option can manage your infection and help your mouth recover. For more details on it, keep reading or book a visit today.
What is Gum Disease?
At its core, gum disease is a bacterial infection of your gum tissue. It’s often caused by plaque buildup – an issue related to poor oral care. That said, the condition does have many notable risk factors. Such things include genes, tobacco use, hormone changes, etc.
In general, there are two stages of gum disease. The first is gingivitis, which amounts to strong inflammation of the gums. Form number two is periodontitis – a full-blown infection that destroys gum and jaw tissue. Oral care can reverse gingivitis signs, but periodontitis can only be managed to prevent worse effects.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
As you might expect, gum disease symptoms can vary over time. Which ones you have will depend on the severity of your problem.
Take gingivitis, for example. Its most common signs are:
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Gum Swelling
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Bleeding gums
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Dark red gums
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Gum tenderness
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Gum recession
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Chronic bad breath
Meanwhile, periodontitis has its own unique symptoms. These include:
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Tooth sensitivity (often due to gum recession)
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Chewing pain
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Loose permanent teeth
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A shift in your bite
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Changes in your restoration’s fit
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Permanent tooth loss
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
During your consultation, our dentists will conduct an oral exam. Doing so confirms the exact state of your gums. Once they’ve assessed the tissues, our team will discuss your treatment options with you.
Here at Nu Dental Eatontown, those options are:
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a multi-step deep cleaning below your gumline. In particular, it removes the plaque and tartar that inflame your gum tissue. This treatment is done over two dental visits. The scaling portion eliminates plaque and tartar with our soft tissue laser. Later, the root planing smooths the surface of your tooth roots. This latter step ensures your gums healthily reattach to your teeth.
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Do You Need Scaling & Root Planing?
Scaling and root planing is often referred to as a “deep cleaning,” and that’s essentially what it is. When we notice early signs of gum disease, like bleeding, swelling, and inflammation, we will try to address the issue upfront to keep it from progressing and causing permanent damage to your smile. The goal of scaling and root planing is to remove bacteria that have accumulated around or beneath the gumline. During this treatment, the roots of your teeth will be smoothed over. This will help your gums heal more quickly by reattaching to the teeth more easily.
The Process of Scaling & Root Planing
There are two separate parts of the scaling and root planing process, and they usually take place over two appointments. The first part is the “scaling.” This involves scraping away plaque and tartar using special dental instruments. We will also target the areas beneath the gumline where bacteria deposits have formed.
After the scaling is done, we will start the root placing process by smoothing down the sections of the teeth that are normally hidden beneath the gum tissue. This helps the gums to adhere to your teeth more easily, making it more challenging for the bacteria to build up again. Ultimately, it can reduce your risk of developing gum disease in the future.
Aftercare Tips for Scaling & Root Planing
Some soreness is normal after scaling and root planing. Your gums might always be a little bit inflamed. This is temporary and should return to normal after a few weeks. Here are a few tips to speed up your recovery time:
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Gently brush twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste.
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Rinse your mouth with salt water after eating to prevent irritation and wash away food debris.
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Floss thoroughly every day.
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Stick to a soft diet for the first 48 hours after your treatment.
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Avoid foods that are especially spicy, acidic, or hot.
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Avoid intense physical activity directly after your procedures.
Antibiotic Treatment
After scaling and root planing, a dentist can offer further help. One such method is antibiotic treatment. With it, they can further target the microbes that cause gum disease.
As a whole, our antibiotic option is quick and simple. Our dentists simply apply ARESTIN to your gum pockets. Over a few weeks, this medication will release into your gums and kill harmful microbes. The process will protect your mouth from future infection and speed up your healing. Once it's finished, you'll return to our office for a follow-up exam.
Osseous Surgery
If your gum disease is pretty severe, we can perform osseous surgery. This treatment removes pockets around your teeth, stopping plaque and debris from hiding in them.
Just to be clear, osseous surgery can be invasive. It requires that we reshape the bone tissue near your teeth. Plus, we’ll need to place a bone graft to replace the removed tissue. Performing the treatment also involves opening the gums, putting them back, and suturing them closed.
Gum Disease Treatment FAQs
How common is gum disease?
Some patients are concerned that they’ve developed some rare condition if they have gum disease, but it’s actually incredibly common. Gingivitis, the earliest stage, is more frequently diagnosed than periodontitis, which is the more advanced stage it can reach if it goes untreated for too long.
For example, sources estimate that approximately 50% to 75% of adults have gingivitis at any given time, compared to about 40% to 47% of those who are 30 years or older diagnosed with more progressive problems, like periodontitis. It affects men and women of all ages, but may be more common in men than women, and becomes more frequent in those who are 65 years or older.
Does gum disease ever go away?
Like most dental problems, gum disease doesn’t usually fix itself and requires intervention. That said, you can sometimes halt or even reverse gingivitis by flossing consistently after brushing twice daily.
However, early gum disease doesn’t always show noticeable symptoms until it progresses, so it can often advance and cause more serious problems. For instance, receding gums trying to escape a worsening infection are the leading cause of permanent tooth loss in adults. Although professional services can manage periodontitis, they can’t always completely cure it.
How long does gum disease treatment take?
The time it takes for periodontal disease to respond to treatment depends on your unique circumstances, including the severity of your condition and the procedures you undergo.
For example, gingivitis can often be reversed within just a couple of weeks of implementing a more consistent at-home dental hygiene routine or receiving ARESTIN antibiotics. But those with more advanced-stage problems requiring more complex treatments, such as a 2-part deep cleaning known as scaling and root planing, or who require osseous surgery, might not notice improvements for a couple of months. In some severe cases, patients require routine periodontal services to help maintain their connective tissues on an ongoing basis.
How can I prevent gum disease from developing?
Advanced gum disease isn’t always curable, but thankfully, periodontal problems can often be prevented. Some effective ways to help strengthen your connective tissues can include:
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Keeping your mouth clean. Brushing alone twice daily only removes an estimated 40% to 60% of plaque buildup, but flossing afterward can eradicate hidden germs and residue from between teeth and below the gums that the brush bristles can’t reach.
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Eating wholesome foods. Minimizing your consumption of overly sugary and acidic foods helps protect your teeth and gums, and incorporating more foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and different leafy greens, can support healthy, flexible connective tissues.
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Scheduling routine appointments. Seeing our team every 6 months for a standard checkup and cleaning can prevent common oral issues, such as cavities and gum disease.
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