Periodontal Treatment
Periodontal disease- also known as gum disease – is an inflammatory disease that affects the structures that hold your teeth in place: the gums, periodontal ligaments and bone.
Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place.
It’s typically caused by poor brushing and flossing habits that allow plaque—a sticky film of bacteria— to build up on the teeth and harden. We do our best to help our patients to keep their mouths disease-free.
Unfortunately, periodontal disease is often hereditary and even the best home care and professional cleaning regimen may not prevent it. However, it can be managed, and we can help.
MORE FREQUENT CLEANINGS
Patients diagnosed with gum disease may benefit from more frequent professional dental cleanings. We also provide a deeper cleaning for patients who need to get their disease under control, or who are on a gum disease maintenance regimen. This deep cleaning is called scaling and root planing. It is a non-surgical treatment that involves removing plaque and calculus from the surfaces of your teeth’s roots, followed by smoothing the root surfaces to help prevent future accumulations.
One way of gauging the severity of gum disease is to measure the periodontal pockets that are formed when the disease has destroyed some of the gum tissue and bone, which created larger areas in which harmful bacteria can live. Your best defense against gum disease and deep periodontal pockets between professional cleanings is to floss. Dedicated flossing daily helps keep these areas clean.
PERIODONTAL DISEASE RISK FACTORS
These factors can increase your risk of gum disease, or make it worse once the infection has set in.
TOBACCO USE
Smoking is a leading cause of gum disease. It also makes existing gum disease more severe.
MEDICATIONS
Many maintenance medications have a number of side effects that can lead to gum disease. The primary one is dry mouth. Saliva helps wash away harmful bacteria that can cause gum disease. It is important to tell us what medicines you are on so that we can more closely monitor your oral health if needed.
STRESS
Research shows that stress can make it more difficult for the body to fight off infection.
TEETH GRINDING & CLENCHING
Teeth grinding is the conscious or unconscious grinding or clenching of teeth. This habit can wear down your teeth over time. The additional force to your teeth’s supporting tissues can cause issues as well.
POOR NUTRITION
A well-balanced diet will help to promote a good immune system, which will help to keep your mouth and gums healthy.
GENETICS
Some people simply are more susceptible to gum disease than others.
