Gum Disease
Treatments

Taking care of your gums is crucial to maintaining great oral health, which is why we recommend coming in for a checkup at least twice per year to make sure everything is up to standards. The earlier potential problems are caught, the less headaches they’ll give you.

What is Gum Disease?

Periodontal, or gum, disease is an infection of the gum surrounding your teeth due to extensive buildup of tartar. This is often due to poor brushing habits which allows plaque to harden on your teeth. If this is left untreated for too long, it can cause serious damage to your mouth, even resulting in tooth loss.

How is Gum Disease Treated?

If the infection is caught early, it may be able to be treated with a cleaning from one of our dental hygienists, but at a certain point, scaling and root planing may be necessary. This is a special deep cleaning that will remove the tartar from underneath the gum and smooth the tooth roots, allowing the gum to naturally reattach to the teeth.

In very extreme cases you may need surgery to gently pull back the gum, allowing us to have better access to the infected area. This will usually only be needed if the area has been left infected for an extended amount of time.

What are the Symptoms of Gum Disease?

Looking out for gum disease symptoms can save you from a lot of pain and discomfort, so if you notice anything that seems out of the ordinary, it’s best to act as soon as possible. Here are some things to look out for:

• Painful or swollen gums
• Loose teeth
• Mouth sores or pus
• Persistent bad breath
• Bleeding