Periodontal disease can lead to serious trouble for your smile without treatment. For example, the advanced stage is the most common factor behind adult tooth loss! But we can help manage the disease and keep your smile strong. In today’s blog, your Brighton, MA, dentist talks about managing periodontal disease.
The Causes and Risks of Gum Disease
Gum disease happens when the gums become inflamed and don’t receive treatment to reverse it, allowing the tissues to pull away from the teeth and form deep pockets for disease-causing bacteria to enter. Underlying factors could include plaque buildup brought on by poor brushing and flossing habits, and a diet high in sugar and starch. Other factors could include a family history of the disease, inflammatory illnesses, certain medications, and tobacco use. Without treatment, the disease will only grow in severity with time, which eventually increases the risk of the periodontitis stage, the one linked to adult tooth loss.
Deep Cleanings
One way we can help is with a deep cleaning, also known as a scaling and root planing. The procedure can help manage the issue in the early stages. Essentially, we will use the same ultrasonic scaling device and manual pick employed as part of our traditional cleanings. But we will use the tools to remove buildup of plaque and tartar from both the teeth and the roots, and even beneath the gum line. Since the procedure is more involved, we will administer a local numbing agent. The procedure could take one visit or up to four, depending on the severity of your buildup. We complete the scaling and root planing by polishing your teeth to make it more difficult for plaque and tartar to adhere to it before your next traditional cleaning, which happens every three to four months.
Periodontal Surgery
If the disease is in a more severe state, then our periodontist could offer periodontal surgery. This could enable us to remove diseased tissues with laser dentistry, so we can trim them away and allow healthy gums to reattach to the teeth, reducing the depth of periodontal pockets and making the disease more manageable with preventive care moving forward. We could also discuss grafting procedures to handle severe recession too.
If you have any questions about periodontal disease or how we can treat and manage the issue to keep your smile whole, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you maintain your best smile!
Talk to Brighton Family Dental About Periodontal Treatment
Our team wants to help you enjoy good oral health and a full smile. Learn more about managing your gum health by giving us a call at Brighton Family Dental Group in Brighton, MA, today at (617) 562-5210.
