Gum disease is an inflammation of your gum line and can be treated by our hygienists at Gastonia Family Dentistry. If it is left untreated, gum disease can damage the bone that supports your teeth.
Symptoms of early gum disease can include:
- Swollen gums
- Tender gums
- Bleeding gums
- Gum recession
- Persistent bad breath
When your body senses threats like infections, lacerations, or foreign bacteria, it is designed to heal and protect the area being threatened. However, when your body detects plaque, tartar and bacteria in your mouth, instead of actively attacking the bacteria, it starts to protect itself by causing gum recession.
If the early stages of gum disease are left untreated, your gums will recede away from your teeth, which can trigger a variety of other painful dental and oral health problems.
Signs Of Gum Disease
Most patients in the early stages of gum disease don't even know they have it. Signs of gum disease may not appear until the disease has advanced to a point that will require you to undergo more invasive treatment to get your smile healthy again.
You can be on the lookout for these symptoms of gum disease:
- Loose teeth or teeth separating from each other
- Mouth pain - including swollen and red gums
- Receding gums
- Excessive bleeding after brushing and flossing your teeth
- Mouth sores
- Consistent bad breath that doesn't respond to traditional treatment (like mouthwash)
- Noticeable pus between your teeth and gums
- Your partial dentures aren't fitting securely anymore
- A change in the way you bite or the way your teeth fit together
Gum disease hurts millions of people each year and many don't even know they have this serious condition until it has advanced to a point that requires treatment by a periodontist.
If you're concerned you might be seeing the signs of gum disease, schedule an appointment with Gastonia Family Dentistry today. We can assess your symptoms and create a treatment plan specialized to your dental needs.
Gingivitis Treatment
Gingivitis is often painless at first, making it difficult to diagnose without regular dental checkups. Inflammation of the gums can be a potentially serious condition, which is why it’s vital to get regular dental exams from Gastonia Family Dentistry
If you have been diagnosed with or are concerned you might have gingivitis, our doctors offer a range of treatments to reverse or stop gum disease’s progression. The good news is that if you are in the early stages of gingivitis, most treatment options are non-surgical procedures.
Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)
If you visit Gastonia Family Dentistry every six months for your routine teeth cleaning, you know it involves scaling your teeth and gum line to remove plaque and tartar, and polishing to remove stains and smooth the tooth's surface. However, if you have symptoms of gum disease, you might need a different type of cleaning called scaling and root planing.
Scaling and root planing is a deep dental cleaning procedure our dentists perform to treat patients with current or developing gum disease. Not all patients need this deep level of cleaning, but it is key for patients concerned with gingivitis.
Full Mouth Debridement
Full mouth debridement refers to a procedure used to clean the root surface of the tooth. Over time, calcified deposits in your gum pockets can make the surface of your tooth rough and difficult to keep clean. Our Gastonia dentists use full mouth debridement to remove these deposits and slow the progression of gum disease.