Gum disease, also known as periodontitis, is a severe gum infection that damages the soft tissue and eventually destroys the bone that supports the teeth if left untreated. It will lead to loosening of teeth or tooth loss.
However, it is common and preventable, and it is caused due to maintaining poor oral hygiene. Let’s discuss gum disease and its treatment in detail.
Gum disease can be broadly categorized into two types:
- Periodontitis
- Gingivitis
Symptoms of Gum Diseases
Your gums are healthy if they are firm and pale pink and fit snugly around the teeth. However, if you have gum disease, you might experience the following signs and symptoms:
- Swollen or puffy gums
- Bad breath
- Bright red, dusky red, or purplish gums
- Bleeding gums
- Witnessing blood on splitting during brushing or flossing your teeth
- Pus formed between the teeth and gum
- Feeling tenderness on gums while touching
- Lost or loose teeth
- Making chewing painful
- Space developed between the teeth
Causes of Gum Diseases
Mostly, periodontitis develops with the development of plaque. It is a sticky film containing harmful bacteria. If not treated in time, it can lead to the following:
- Severe plaque accumulation on the teeth
- It then hardens into the gum line forming tartar, which is difficult to remove on your own.
- The plaque causes gingivitis which causes inflammation or irritation on the gums.
- It can lead to periodontitis that contains harmful bacteria and, if still left untreated, can become the cause of loss of teeth or bone.
Treatment For Gum Diseases
The dentist first diagnoses the mouth for the signs and symptoms of periodontitis. During the process, he will:
- Review your medical history
- Examine your mouth for plaque or tartar.
- Measure the depth of the pockets created due to periodontitis
- Take dental X-rays to check whether there is a loss of bone due to the disease.
Then, the treatment will be performed by a periodontist, a dentist, or a dental hygienist. The only aim of the treatment is to clean the pockets around the teeth thoroughly and prevent any damage caused to the surrounding tooth. It might include non-surgical treatments like scaling and root planing or antibiotics and surgical treatment like flap surgery, soft tissue graft, bone grafting, guided tissue regeneration, etc.
Please reach out to Dicus Family Dentistry at 15 McCabe Drive, #201, Reno, NV 89511, to have a consultation with our dentist. Call us at (775) 828-7246 or schedule an online consultation, and we’ll guide you further.
