Gum disease is a sinister threat that starts out small before wreaking terrible havoc on your oral health if you neglect to address it. Luckily, your dentist will be happy to help you resolve gum disease with improved oral hygiene habits and periodontal therapy if necessary. Here’s a brief guide to how gum infections progress, how you can prevent them, and how your dentist can address them with procedures like scaling and root planing, antibiotic treatment, and possibly extractions.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an oral infection resulting from harmful bacteria colonizing irritated gum tissue. The first stage is gingivitis, which is inflammation that can usually be reversed with improved oral hygiene habits. However, untreated gingivitis will eventually develop into periodontitis, a severe oral infection that can result in tooth loss and nasty secondary infections if it is not addressed by a trained dental professional.
How Can I Prevent Gum Disease?
Certain medical conditions like pregnancy and diabetes can make a person more vulnerable to developing gum disease, but this nasty problem can almost always be prevented with smart oral care habits. A few great tips to keep in mind include:
- Brush, floss, and use antibacterial mouthwash every day.
- See your dentist every six months for routine exams and cleanings.
- Limit your intake of sugary and acidic foods and beverages like soda, coffee, juice, candy, pastries, and thick barbeque sauces.
How Can Gum Disease Be Treated?
Your dentist will be happy to address gingivitis by helping you understand how to brush and floss adequately and giving you a few dietary tips that can reduce how much sugar and acid you are exposed to. However, advanced cases of gum disease called periodontitis will require more intensive treatments like:
- Scaling and root planing: This treatment is a deep cleaning designed to eliminate infectious material from the surface and pockets of the gums as well as the roots of the teeth.
- Antibiotic treatment: Antibiotic medications can kill harmful bacteria that cause gum disease.
- Extraction: The teeth depend on the gum tissue for sustenance and support, and advanced gum disease can lead to the pearly whites becoming infected. If these teeth become gangrenous, they can cause nasty and dangerous secondary infections, so it may be necessary to remove and replace them. After having compromised teeth removed, you may still require additional gum disease treatment to resolve the infection.
Don’t let gum disease ruin your lovely smile. Consulting with your dentist can help you understand how to prevent or manage this frustrating oral health condition.
About the Practice
Cove Choice Dental offers the most outstanding oral health services in Copperas Cove. Led by Drs. Daood Alvi, Sileshi Assemu, Shruti Sharma, and Simrat Sehmi, the staff treats each patient with courtesy and compassion while maintaining a friendly and welcoming office environment. Areas of expertise include general, emergency, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry such as gum disease treatments. If you are concerned about gum disease, contact the office online or dial (254) 987-6777.