What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease, also called gum disease, is gum damage caused by inflammation. Periodontal disease can develop when you don’t remove plaque on your teeth. Usually, careful brushing and flossing twice a day is enough to keep plaque at bay. But careless brushing leaves plaque behind, which then turns into tartar that’s impossible to remove on your own.
Periodontal disease eventually causes your gums to pull away from your teeth, making pockets where bacteria can rapidly multiply and make the problem even worse. If periodontal disease isn’t treated, it can lead to gum recession, tooth loss, and bone loss over time.
What are the symptoms of periodontal disease?
Symptoms of the earliest stage of periodontal disease — gingivitis — can include:
- Bad breath
- Bright pink or red gums
- Bleeding when you brush or floss
- Sore or tender-feeling gums
- Receding gums
If gingivitis isn’t treated, it can lead to the more serious form of periodontal disease — periodontitis. The symptoms of periodontitis include:
- Loose teeth
- Pain while chewing
- New gaps between your teeth
- Severe gum recession
- Change in teeth alignment
The Trusty Dental team always screens for periodontal disease during dental cleanings and check-ups. If you notice any of these symptoms between your regular appointments, schedule a visit as soon as possible.
What does periodontal treatment include?
Periodontal treatment at Trusty Dental can help you heal while preventing future problems.
Scaling and root planing
Scaling and root planing, which is a deep teeth cleaning, is often the first treatment for periodontal disease. In this treatment, your Trusty Dental provider carefully removes (scales) plaque and tartar above and below your gums.
Your provider smooths your tooth roots (root planing) to discourage plaque and tartar from collecting again. Root planing also helps your gums tighten around your teeth if they’re loose.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics are often an important part of periodontal disease treatment because they kill harmful bacteria. You may need topical antibiotics like prescription mouth rinses or gels. For severe periodontal disease, you may also need oral antibiotics.
Specialized procedures
If you have aggressive periodontal disease leading to severe gum recession, bone loss, \or tooth loss, you may need specialized procedures like bone grafting or soft tissue grafts. Dental implants can restore missing teeth. But if you respond to periodontal disease as soon as you notice symptoms, you can avoid severe damage.
Call Trusty Dental or book online today for the best periodontal disease treatment in Riverside.
