What Is Gum Disease Therapy?
Gum disease is a common condition that can and should be managed through regular dental visits to prevent it from worsening and causing irreparable damage to your teeth and overall oral health. Gum disease therapy, or periodontal therapy, is a combination of treatments performed to manage and treat gum disease. In this blog, we’ll discuss the causes of gum disease and the treatment options offered at Royal Dental Care.
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What Causes Gum Disease?
Periodontal disease, more commonly called gum disease, is a severe infection of the gums that can damage the tissues and, if left untreated, bone that surrounds your teeth. It occurs when plaque builds up on your teeth, creating a home for several different types of bacteria. These bacteria can eventually develop into gum disease, causing inflammation and infection in your gums. While poor dental hygiene is the common culprit behind periodontal disease, you may have other risk factors as well. Genetics, hormone changes, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, and heart conditions can also contribute to the development of gum disease.
What Are the Stages of Gum Disease?
Gum disease progresses in the following stages:
- Gingivitis: This stage of gum disease is still mild and characterized by gums that are puffy, red, and may bleed when you brush or floss. Gingivitis is completely reversible if addressed in time.
- Mild periodontitis: During this stage of gum disease, the bacteria have moved under your gums, causing them to pull away from your teeth and create pockets around them where bacteria can hide. Your bone may start to be affected in this stage, and the pockets of bacteria can’t be reached by brushing or flossing.
- Moderate periodontitis: The bacteria start to eat away at the bone, ligaments, and other soft tissues around your teeth at this stage of periodontal disease. You may start to have chronic bad breath, noticeable gum infection, and pain or discomfort.
- Advanced periodontitis: If your gum disease continues untreated, the damaged bone and tissues around your tooth will worsen. Eventually, your teeth may loosen and fall out.
Once periodontal disease has progressed past gingivitis, it isn’t reversible but can be managed with good oral hygiene and professional dental treatment.
How to Treat Gum Disease
Treating gum disease in the early stages is much easier than addressing it later on. For gingivitis, routine dental appointments for cleanings combined with diligent brushing and flossing at home can successfully eradicate gum disease.
However, once you’ve moved past gingivitis, you will likely have to undergo more in-depth treatments for your periodontal disease. At Royal Dental Care, we offer the following periodontal treatments for gum disease:
Root Planing and Scaling
Even though the name sounds a little intense, root planing and scaling are just technical terms for deep cleaning of your teeth. During the treatment, your hygienist cleans below the gum line, removing tartar and plaque on the surfaces of the roots of your teeth. They will also smooth away any bumps or rough spots on your teeth to help eliminate places for harmful bacteria to reattach.
Antibiotic Therapy
Since periodontal disease is essentially an infection of the gums, we often use antibiotics (either alone or in conjunction with another treatment) to address the problem. We may use topical or oral antibiotics depending on the stage of your periodontal disease and your individual needs. The primary goal is to keep bacteria to a minimum to give your gums the best chance to heal.
Learn More About Periodontal Treatments in Schaumburg and Norridge
Keeping your teeth and gums healthy should be a priority! After all, not only do you want a gorgeous smile, but good oral health contributes to good health overall. Leaving gum disease untreated can cause tooth loss, bone loss and can even play a part in strokes and heart issues if bacteria enter your bloodstream.
At Royal Dental Care, we offer a full range of treatments designed to keep your teeth and gums healthy. From family dentistry to cosmetic dentistry and everything in between, we can help you achieve and keep a gleaming smile. To schedule an appointment, call today at (773) 232-3929 (Norridge) or (847) 999-7620 (Schaumburg) or complete the online contact form.