Many people suffer from gum disease without even knowing it. Are you one of those suffering from gum disease or periodontal disease? Babylon Dental Care wants you to be knowledgeable when it comes to detecting the signs and symptoms. Together we can fight the battle against gum disease!
What are symptoms of gum disease?
We want to catch gum disease as early as possible and treat it before it advances to periodontal disease. There are certain signs and symptoms that you can look out for when brushing and flossing your teeth:
- You will experience minor bleeding when you brush.
- Your gums will not appear healthy and pink like they should; instead your gums will look irritated and discolored (dark red color).
- Your gums will become softer to the touch as time progresses.
Some of these signs usually go unnoticed while others just ignore them, thinking it is natural and normal. However, if you notice these signs, please see our dentists as soon as possible.
There are many patients who have periodontal disease when it may have been prevented in the gum disease phase.
What are symptoms of periodontal disease?
If gum disease is not treated in a timely manner, you may start to see these signs of periodontal disease:
- Gums may appear inflamed, swollen, purple or bright red in color, or receding at the gum line.
- Your teeth may become loose or you may develop spaces between your teeth. Some patients may experience changes in their bite (the way your teeth fit together when you bite down).
- Gums may become tender or very sensitive.
- You may also notice mouth sores, persistent bad breath (called halitosis), or pus appearing between your teeth and gum line (called pyorrhea)
How harmful is gum disease?
Gum disease and periodontal disease not only wreaks havoc on your oral health, but your overall bodily health can suffer as well. As a matter of fact, scientists, researchers, and dentists agree that gum disease and periodontal disease are linked to:
- Birth complications (premature birth)
- Heart problems
- Respiratory problems
- Diabetes
- Stroke
- Pancreatic cancer
- Digestive disorders
Now you can begin to understand the importance of combating gum disease so that you don’t jeopardize your overall health!
How to protect yourself from gum disease
In addition to keeping your routine 6-month checkup appointments at the dentist, the American Dental Association and our dentists recommend:
- Brushing your teeth 2-3 times per day
- Flossing your teeth 1-2 times per day
- Limiting your intake of high-sugar foods and beverages
Following a routine oral care plan like this can help prevent tooth decay, which can sometimes be a precursor to gum disease if not taken care of right away.
Worse off, if you have gum disease already and do not take care of it right away, periodontal disease (the advanced stage of gum disease) can transpire. So be sure to take care of your teeth routinely!
Gum disease and periodontal disease treatments at the dentist office
Our dentists can help you and your family understand the symptoms and consequences of gum disease. There are also other effective treatments you can choose in order to further fight against gum disease. At our office, we offer the following treatments to promote healthy teeth and gums:
- Probing: In order to assess the health of the tooth structure’s bone, we use a small, probe-like instrument on certain parts of the tooth.
- Full Mouth Debridement: When teeth are covered by heavy tartar deposits, we must perform this technique to remove these deposits. Sometimes additional gum treatment may be necessary.
- Deep Therapeutic Scaling and Root Planing: When tarter deposits and bacterial infections destroy the tooth’s bone structure, we must complete a deep therapeutic scaling to promote healthy teeth and gums.
- Irrigation: Once the deposits are removed from below the gum line and between the teeth, we flush out the harmful bacteria with antibacterial medicaments. This will also help disinfect any diseased tissues.
- Maintenance (also called Periodontal Maintenance): If a patient has a history of periodontal scaling or surgery, periodontal maintenance will be performed, which includes irrigation, scaling, and cleaning, recommended every 3-4 months. Please speak with your dental professional for individualized treatment recommendations.
- Localized Antibiotic Therapy: There are times when patients need an antibiotic to fight disease-producing bacteria. We use Arestin antibiotics in localized areas that are damaged by gum disease.
- Preventive Cleaning (also called Prophylaxis): We will clean the teeth and gums to make sure they remain healthy.
When you come in for your appointment, our skilled and trained team can detect, diagnose, and treat gum disease if they suspect or notice the signs. We can help you and your family have healthy teeth and gums for many years down the road.
