Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, affects millions of people every year. Left untreated it is a degenerative condition that will only get worse and cause increasingly damaging consequences. Fortunately, there are several effective gum disease treatments available that when administered as early as possible, slow and stop the spread and damage caused by the gum disease and prevent it from recurring. If you have gum disease and are wondering about what gum disease treatments are available, read on to learn more.
What causes gum disease?
To fully understand gum disease treatments, you must first understand the causes. Gum disease is caused by the buildup of plaque and tartar under the gumlines. This eventually leads to pockets between the gums and teeth where bacteria can grow. Over time, this bacterium builds up to the point of infection, which progressively gets worse without treatment. Gum disease treatment, therefore, begins with clearing away the plaque, tartar, and bacteria.
What are signs of gum disease and how does it hurt your oral health?
Gum disease is easily diagnosed by a dentist during a regular cleaning. There are telltale signs that you can see at home though. The most common signs of gum disease are bleeding, swollen, or tender gums, chronic bad breath, receding gum lines, loose teeth or loss of teeth. If you have these symptoms, you likely have periodontal disease and require gum disease treatments. When left untreated, gum disease can eventually lead to tooth loss, bone density loss, and many other serious health issues.
What are gum disease treatments?
Gum disease treatments are based on the severity of the disease. The earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the less invasives the gum disease treatments need to be. The most effective gum disease treatments are preventative. These include brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash regularly as well as seeing your dentist for a regular 6-month checkup and cleaning. Oral hygiene that is properly maintained is the most effective gum disease treatment.
Once gum disease has set in, the treatments will vary based on the extent of the disease and the damage being caused by them. Some of the most common treatments are:
- Deep cleaning: A deep cleaning involves the dentist using the methods of scaling and root planing. This is usually the first step in gum disease treatment. The dentist uses local anesthesia and specialized tools to clean behind the gum line and scrape away plaque and tartar buildup. They then treat the areas to remove bacteria.
- Antibiotics: In some cases, antibiotics are an effective gum disease treatment if the body needs help fighting the infection.
- Laser treatment: Laser treatment is sometimes an effective gum disease treatment. For this treatment, the dentist uses laser to target and remove infected gum tissue, which gives healthy gum tissue a chance to heal.
- Surgical treatments: If the gum disease has progressed too far, surgical treatments may be necessary to fix the damage done. These can include gum and bone grafting as well as tooth replacement procedures.
What does this mean for me?
If you think you have gum disease, it is important to address it as soon as possible. There are numerous gum disease treatments available and the earlier they are administered the more likely they are at success.