Studies from the Centers for Disease Control show that half of adults over the age of 30 suffer from some form of periodontal disease. Without treatment, this could lead to painful symptoms and even the loss of your teeth! In today’s blog, your Brighton, MA, dentists talk about how we diagnose and treat issues like gum disease.
The Cause and Dangers of Gum Disease
How does a disease like this start? Often, with minor inflammation. Gingivitis begins when we don’t brush and floss properly and don’t see the dentist for routine checkups and cleanings. This enables plaque buildup to form on the teeth, and inflame the periodontal tissues. This could be exacerbated by a diet high in sugary foods and drinks which feeds the harmful bacteria behind your plaque buildup, or the use of cigarettes and other tobacco products. You could experience sore, red, and bleeding gums. When you do, you should let us know right away. Otherwise, the inflammation can grow more severe and the tissue can pull away from the teeth, forming deep pockets for harmful bacteria to enter, which cause the onset of the disease.
Gingivitis can be reversed, and while gum disease cannot, we can still offer care to manage it and prevent the late stage linked to tooth loss.
The Preventive Approach
To help protect your smile, you should brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, and floss every evening as well. Try to avoid tobacco products, drink plenty of water, and enjoy a diet low on sugar and starch. If you do experience the symptoms of gingivitis, we can offer a deep cleaning, known as a scaling and root planing. This removes harmful plaque and tartar from both the roots and the teeth, which helps fight inflammation and allows us to manage the disease moving forward with a traditional dental cleaning every three to four months. This preventive approach helps not only safeguard your periodontal health, but also prevents issues like tooth decay, infection, bad breath, and even limits the severity of teeth stains.
Gum Surgery
What if you have a more severe case of periodontal disease, one that cannot be managed with a scaling and root planing or a regular dental cleaning? In these situations, we can offer gum surgery to remove disease tissues, and allow the regeneration of strong and healthy ones instead. If you have any questions, then give us a call today.
Ready to Improve Periodontal Health?
We would love to help you protect the health and stability of your smile. You can schedule a consultation for an exam and consultation, and more by calling Brighton Family Dental Group in Brighton, MA, today at (617) 562-5210. We proudly welcome patients from Brighton, Watertown, and all surrounding communities.
