What is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease starts when harmful bacteria accumulate on your gums and lead to infection.
At its early stages, the condition is referred to as gingivitis. When not treated, it can advance to periodontitis and lead to tooth loss.
Gum disease doesnβt have to progress, though. Preventing and treating it is possible with the help of a good oral hygiene routine.
Causes of Periodontal Disease
Bacteria in the mouth combine with other substances and form a sticky, colorless film called plaque.
Over time, plaque hardens into tartar, which can only be removed by a dental professional. Tartar can gather and spread below the gum line and cause inflammation of the gums.
Here are more possible causes of gum disease:
Signs You May Have Periodontal Disease
Symptoms and warning signs of gum disease include the following:
Early gum disease usually doesn't cause discomfort or pain. Your dentist will be able to identify early signs and symptoms.
How to Treat Periodontal Disease
The first treatment for gum disease is professional dental hygiene cleanings. We remove substances on your teeth and gums. Then, we polish and apply fluoride to your teeth.
If you have deep pockets, we may perform deep cleanings to get rid of the tartar and bacteria buildup on teeth surfaces (scaling) and smoothen the tooth surface to discourage debris from accumulating further (root planing).
Before you go, we also advise you on how you can reduce bacterial deposits in your mouth. This includes brushing properly at least twice a day and flossing daily.
Depending on the extent of the gum disease, we may also prescribe antibiotics to help fight off infections.
We monitor your gums and follow up with you. If the pockets are still present, we may look into other treatment options, such as surgery.
One possible procedure is called flap surgery. We administer anesthesia, lift your gums, and clean the roots of your teeth thoroughly. Afterward, we stitch back your gums in place.
For more severe cases that involve bone loss, we may also perform bone grafting to recreate the lost bone or tissue.
Your cooperation is crucial in achieving long-term success for treatments.
Prevention
To prevent periodontal diseases, it's important to:
How Your Dentist Can Help
We can stop periodontal disease through early detection. We can identify symptoms and assess your likelihood of developing gum diseases.
We examine your mouth, medical history, and also talk to you about your habits. We also measure the depth of the pockets around your tooth to determine the extent of the issue.
But overall, we don't only treat your teeth and gums. As a dental team, we also recommend little changes you can make daily to improve your oral health.
If you feel you're experiencing gum disease symptoms, get in touch with us to book an initial consultation. We encourage you to prepare a list of questions to make the most of your dental visit.
Our dental office is located in Winnipeg, MB and weβre always happy to welcome new patients.