Gum disease is a sillent killer. Since there is a little or no symptoms at the begining, it can be extremely difficult to detect. Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease, occuring when there is plaque buildup below the gum line. This can cause the gum to become inflamed and easily bleed when brushing or flossing. The good news is that although the gum tissues are inflamed, the tissues are still left intac. In fact, with proper oral hygience, gingivitis can be stopped and even reversed effectively.

If gingivitis is allowed to develop, it could turn into periodontitis. During this stage, deep pockets will form as the gum and bone tissues break down. Food debris and and bacteria can become trapped in these small spaces and cause infection. As the disease becomes worse, the pockets will become deeper and the gum will pull away. Eventually, teeth will become so loose that they will fall out. Gum disease is the main cause of tooth loss in adults.

If gum disease is detected, and depending on the stage of it, your dentist may recomend the number of none surgical ways to treat it. This can include profesional dental cleaning to remove plaque and tartar buildup that has occurred above and below the gum line. Regular dental cleanings can help to preven the development of gum disease.

If the gum disease is more serious, the dentist may recomend scaling and root planing. Scaling is the process of scrapping away plaque and tartar above and below the gum line so that new healthy tissues can grow. Root planing smothes out any rough spots on the tooth to allow for proper healing. This proccess removes the bacteria and provides a clean bacteria-free surface for the gum to heal aroung the tooth.

Your sessions will likely be spread out over multiple appointments. This is done because gum disease takes time to heal, so this allows dentist to monitor your condition and ensure the the treatment are going according to plan.

If you have gum disease, cottact us to set up an appointment.