What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is also known as gum disease or periodontitis. This is a serious condition that involves an infection of the gum tissues resulting from the bacteria found in dental plaque. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to bone and tooth loss, and the disease has been found to have connections to other conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and strokes.
What causes periodontal disease?
Gum disease is often the result of improper or insufficient oral hygiene that fails to remove bacteria from below the gum line. This is why it’s important to brush and floss using proper technique.
There are other factors that can determine whether or not you are likely to get gum disease as well. These include things like your body’s metabolism, and the changes in hormones during puberty or pregnancy. As the saliva in your mouth can help protect you against gum disease, certain medical conditions or medications that cause dry mouth can also influence your likelihood of getting gum disease.
Gum disease isn’t just a threat to your teeth. Your oral health has significant ties to the overall well-being of your body, which is why periodontal disease shouldn’t be ignored.
There are early signs that may help you spot gum disease while it’s still in the early gingivitis phase, and Dr. Rosado will be able to diagnose the disease during an exam and recommend treatment.
Diagnosis of Periodontal Disease
What are the signs of gum disease?
Early on, gum disease starts as gingivitis. You can typically recognize this early stage from swollen or red gums that bleed when you brush or floss your teeth. Gingivitis can be treated and reversed, so it is important to catch it while it is still in this early stage.
As gingivitis progresses into periodontal disease, you will begin to experience tooth sensitivity as the gums begin to recede away from the teeth. This results in gum pockets which can trap food and bacteria, worsening the problem.
How is gum disease diagnosed?
Looking for the warning signs of gum disease is always a part of your regular exam with our office. We’ll also check your medical history to spot any of the factors that may cause you to be more likely to develop periodontal disease, such as smoking, or taking medications that cause dry mouth.
If gum pockets are present, the depth of these pockets will be measured and charted. Pockets over 3mm in depth are usually a sign of periodontal disease.
Your regular dental X-rays are also useful in looking for gum disease, as they may show any bone loss that may have occurred in the areas where you have periodontal pockets.
Treatment options are available, so if you have any of the warning signs and suspect you may have gum disease, schedule an appointment with our office for a checkup so we can get you on the path to a healthier mouth.
Gum Disease Treatment
Periodontal disease (also called periodontitis or gum disease) is a serious oral condition that needs to be attended to. Not only can it put you at risk for tooth and bone loss, but medical research has also found increasing evidence that many other medical conditions can be linked to, or further complicated by, periodontal disease.
For those with gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, reviewing their home care technique with one of our hygienists can help get their oral hygiene routine back on track, and reverse the disease before it progresses.
In cases where periodontal disease hasn’t advanced too far, a non-surgical procedure known as scaling and root planning (also referred to as a deep cleaning) is typically recommended. This involves clearing away plaque and tartar from tooth root surfaces and smoothing them to make it harder for buildup to occur again. The goal of treatment is to prevent bone loss and further damage by removing bacteria and tartar from below the gum line and helping your gums heal.
Once treated for gum disease, it’s recommended that you return to our office regularly for periodontal maintenance appointments (typically every 3 months) which will help control your periodontal disease and prevent the problem from reoccurring.
If you have noticed that your gums are red or swollen, or if there is bleeding when you brush or floss, you may have gum disease. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with Dr. Rosado to assess the condition of your gums and learn what treatment options can help.
