You can get periodontal treatment at your periodontist to make it more convenient. Treatment for periodontal disease doesn’t have to be painful, either, if you catch it early and seek treatment from the best rated dental providers. Severe periodontal disease may require more extensive treatment, but it’s painless when you visit a gentle dentist open on Saturday.
Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. If you feel pain when brushing or notice bleeding gums, see your dentist and get periodontal treatment right away. It could save your smile.
Less severe periodontal disease starts with gingivitis or an inflammation of your gums. More severe periodontal disease is termed periodontitis. Treatment for periodontal disease varies depending on the severity of your symptoms.
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Gum disease is caused by plaque — the filmy, sticky substance that forms on your teeth after meals. It forms when normal bacteria present in your mouth interact with starches and sugars in food. If plaque isn’t removed by daily brushing and flossing, it builds up and eventually turns into hard tartar, which is difficult to remove outside the dentist’s office.
When tartar builds up, it irritates and inflames your gums. The bacteria start affecting the surrounding structures, leading to your symptoms. If early gingivitis isn’t treated or you don’t keep up a healthy cleaning habit, you may develop severe periodontitis, which requires more invasive periodontal treatments, including even surgery. Other complications include tooth loss, systemic infection and trench mouth.
A Quick Diagnosis
Treatment for periodontal disease can vary from at-home remedies prescribed by your dentist to invasive surgery. It depends on how far your condition has progressed. But first, your Sunday dentist must confirm the diagnosis.
After reviewing your dental and medical history for causative and risk factors, he performs a comprehensive exam of your teeth, gums, tongue and cheeks to look for plaque and signs of infection. Then he measures the pocket depth between your teeth and gums because inflamed, diseased gums start to recede from your teeth. One to three millimeters is normal, while anything more than four millimeters means an infection.
Your dentist open Saturday may also recommend a medical evaluation for underlying conditions like diabetes mellitus or heart disease. If your symptoms suggest severe periodontal disease, you need periodontal treatment.
Practice Prevention
Prevention begins with your oral hygiene habits. Brushing twice a day, flossing once a day and using a mouthwash can keep your gums healthy. Most dentists recommend getting a checkup and a cleaning twice a year. Lifestyle habits like healthy eating and managing medical conditions like diabetes can also help prevent severe periodontal disease.
Several additional things you can do at home if you feel your gums getting tender include:
- Even though it may hurt a little, brush and floss after every meal to prevent plaque from becoming tartar.
- Use a soft toothbrush and replace it every two to four months.
- Use dental picks that get in between your teeth.
- See your dentist for regular cleanings.
You can prepare several mouth rinses at home. The easiest and safest is a salt water rinse. Add a quarter- to half-teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water. Rinse your mouth twice a day to alleviate and reverse some symptoms of gingivitis.
Basic Periodontal Disease Treatment
For less severe periodontal disease, a professional dental cleaning from your dentist can reverse your symptoms. Getting treatment for periodontal disease early can stop its progression to periodontitis and tooth loss.
Periodontal treatment includes a deep cleaning, consisting of removing all the plaque and tartar on your teeth and below your gums. Two procedures — called scaling and root planning — accomplish this. Scaling gets rid of the tartar and bacteria while root planing smooths the root surface.
Both procedures can only be done at the dentistry office in Yonkers, NY. Tartar is very difficult to remove without dental tools, and root scaling can only be done with specific instruments, such as a laser or an ultrasonic device. After these procedures get rid of all the plaque, you must maintain a regular and complete oral hygiene routine at home to keep it off.
Treatments for Severe Periodontal Disease
For more severe periodontal disease, several other remedies may be necessary. Depending on your symptoms, the state of the disease and your medical history, your treatment for periodontal disease may be a combination of medication and surgery.
Antibiotics get rid of bacteria and possibly prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of your body, like your heart. Chlorhexidine, an antimicrobial agent which comes as a liquid or a paste, is a good antiseptic. Triclosan is a dentist-recommended toothpaste that has both fluoride and antibiotics. Your symptoms — and how far your periodontal disease has progressed — determine what your dentist provides to ease your pain.
Surgical Options for Periodontal Disease
Other than medications, very severe periodontal disease or periodontitis may require surgery. Your dentist can advise which of the surgical treatments is the best option for you. Surgical treatment for periodontal disease includes:
- Flap surgery or pocket reduction surgery
- Soft tissue or bone grafts
- Guided tissue regeneration
- Bone surgery
Your dentists and periodontists open on Saturday in the Yonkers not only diagnose the disease and offer periodontal treatment but also help you plan an efficient preventive oral care routine. Periodontal disease doesn’t have to derail your life. Come see our dentistry leading periodontists to get back on track.
