Gum Disease Treatment Isn’t Preventable like Periodontal Infections

Contact Us

Gum Disease Treatment Isn’t Preventable like Periodontal Infections

November 1, 2020

Gum disease or periodontal disease and periodontitis, as it is also known, is a bacterial infection of the tissues in the mouth and is a leading cause of tooth loss in America and worldwide. After you are affected by gum disease, the toxins produced by the bacteria damage the connective tissue and bone of the teeth to destroy them, fostering tooth loss effectively.

The condition of gum disease is entirely preventable, and the primary reason nearly 50% of the population is affected by this condition is that they neglect proper dental hygiene. Unfortunately, after people are affected by gum disease, ignoring treatment from the dentist near via Marina is not available to them. Gum disease left untreated can progress to advanced periodontitis, subjecting people to numerous difficulties and causing problems not just with their teeth and gums but also their overall health.

What Are the Primary Causes of Gum Disease?

Several causes can lead to the problem of gum disease. The primary among them is mentioned below for your reference.

  • Poor oral hygiene. When you don’t remove plaque from your teeth with regular dental hygiene practices and professional exams and cleanings, you allow bacteria to set in to cause gingivitis, which eventually results in gum disease.
  • Organic changes. Organic changes occurring in metabolism and hormone levels during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause can affect the organic balance of the mouth to cause this condition.
  • Medical conditions. Severe medical conditions affecting the body’s ability to produce sugar can contribute to periodontal disease. Some illnesses like diabetes, strokes, and heart attacks are also associated with this issue. Some medications used for treating conditions can result in overgrowth of the gums, which become susceptible to bacteria and disease.
  • Salivary problems. Some medications can cause issues like xerostomia or dry mouth, contributing to a reduction in saliva flow. The elderly are more vulnerable to dry mouth because of the natural decrease in salivary flow associated with aging.

Besides, the above gum disease is also a result of issues like clenching and grinding their teeth that impairs the surrounding tissue.

What Are the Symptoms of Gum Disease?

A bacterial infection of the gums and tissues in the mouth is gingivitis, which is a precursor of this condition. The common signs you and your dentist can look for are:

  • You have bleeding gums when brushing and flossing.
  • Your gums are swollen, red, and sensitive.
  • You have a bad breath.
  • Your teeth are loose or look like they have shifted.

How to Treat Gum Disease?

There are many treatments available to treat gum disease. However, every treatment varies according to the severity of your condition and the damage already caused by the infection.

To determine a treatment best suited for your needs, the dentist near you in Port Hueneme, CA, evaluates the extent of the damage to create a conservative treatment plan. A dental hygiene evaluation helps determine whether plaque is being removed every day from our teeth.

Gum treatment in Port Hueneme removes tartar deposits from your teeth through a professional cleaning, which may include additional procedures of deep scaling and root planing. These treatments can cause some discomfort, but the dentist administers local anesthesia to keep you comfortable. Antibiotics between the teeth are also administered to eliminate bacteria from the pockets around the gums. You may be recommended a medicated mouthwash for use at home regularly as part of your treatment.

What Happens If You Need Advanced Treatment?

If advanced periodontitis has destroyed your bone, dentists may employ new tissue regeneration techniques, which need bone grafting to regenerate bone in your mouth.

CALL US NOW – 469-916-9516

Pocket elimination surgery is also performed as part of the treatment to help prevent tooth loss resulting from gum disease. Some surgical options dentists use are the following:

To reduce the pocket gaps between the gums and teeth, dentists may perform periodontal flap surgery. If your jawbone has pockets housing bacteria, the bone is reshaped to eliminate the pockets and prevent the accumulation of bacterial growth.

Laser therapy is also used to reduce the gums’ pocket-size despite no evidence being available to suggest laser therapy helps restore damaged connective tissue.

As can be seen, gum disease can quickly be prevented by maintaining proper oral hygiene and visiting dentists regularly for exams and cleanings. However, suppose gum disease has already affected you. In that case, the option of avoiding gum disease treatment isn’t available and requires multiple visits to the dentist’s office to eliminate the infection from your mouth.

Insurance logo