Gum Disease Treatment in Virginia
What is Gum Disease?
We provide gum disease treatment in Virginia, also known as periodontal disease, which is an infectious and inflammatory disease. The inflammatory conditions affect the gums and jawbone. Basically, it can start small with the build-up of plaque and plaque bacteria, causing the gums to be irritated, inflamed, and even bleed during brushing. But it can progress to more serious conditions and result in tooth loss—making gum disease one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults.
It is a silent disease where there might not be any signs for a very long time. That is why a regular dental checkup and professional cleaning are absolutely necessary.
Stages of Gum Disease Treatment in Virginia
Generally, how does gum disease progress from plaque to tooth loss? Here are four stages of gum disease:
1. Healthy Gums and Tooth
During the very early stages of gum disease, your teeth will seem healthy and your gums will feel normal with no irritation. The only possible sign is occasional bleeding when eating hard foods.
2. Gingivitis
The first true stage of gum disease is gingivitis. It’s a plaque related disease that can harbor bacteria, causing inflammation and infections which destroys gums and bone around the teeth, causing tooth loss.
Additionally, your gums may start to bleed more often, and you could notice bad breath or a metallic taste in your mouth. Early treatment for gum disease during this stage can alleviate symptoms and even reverse the disease.
3. Periodontitis
With the plaque around your teeth hardening into tartar, your gums will probably become noticeably inflamed, tender to the touch, and may look reddish and inflamed. Thus, the bone structures holding your teeth to your jaw may begin to weaken as well. While the disease is no longer reversible, treatment is still vital for halting the progression and restoring oral health.
4. Advanced Periodontitis
In the final stage of gum disease, advanced periodontitis, your gums will be noticeably shrunken and many teeth will probably be loose as the infection attacks your jawbone. You may start losing teeth at this stage as well, and tooth extraction is commonly part of the treatment.
Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease
Gum Disease Treatment in Virginia
Furthermore, there are different symptoms for each stage of gum disease, but the early-stage symptoms are the hardest to catch. Indeed, the best thing to do is see our periodontist specialist if you have concerns about gum disease. Overall, here are some of the common signs and symptoms to watch out for:
- Swollen or puffy gums
- Gums are red instead of pink
- Bleeding when brushing or flossing
- Soreness in teeth or gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Metallic taste in mouth
- Gappy teeth
- Loose teeth
- Teeth appear to be getting longer
- Sores or pus in mouth
Causes and Risk for Gum Disease
While gum disease starts with a build-up of bacteria in plaque, one of the biggest risks for developing gum disease is not brushing or flossing your teeth regularly. Unquestionably, the lack of diligent oral hygiene allows the plaque to collect on your teeth and gums.
However, even if you clean your teeth regularly, you may still be at risk for gum disease if your teeth are difficult to clean. Especially, defective dental work, crowded teeth, or impacted wisdom teeth can make your teeth harder to clean and put you at a greater risk for gum disease.
Furthermore, several general health issues can make your body react more severely to bacterial plaque, which increases your risk of gum disease. Some of these include:
- Hereditary factors
- Change in hormones
- Medication
- Smoking
- Stress
- Immuno-deficiency diseases
- Systemic diseases (like diabetes)
Options for Gum Disease Treatment in Virginia
Overall, the stage of gum disease will determine your available treatment options, and our dentist can discuss that with you at Family Dentistry Springfield. Generally, if you’re in the early stages of gum disease with gingivitis, our dentist may recommend debridement, where they remove all the plaque and the tartar from your teeth. Similarly, they may also smooth any rough fillings so they don’t hold plaque.
For the later stages of gum disease, our periodontitis may need to perform periodontal surgery to access the roots of your teeth and do a more thorough debridement. They can also reduce pockets in your gums so they are easier to clean. Additionally, periodontal regenerative surgery is another option, where our dentist may use bone grafts, membranes, and enamel matrix derivatives to regenerate the ligaments and any supporting bone that was lost due to gum disease.
Finally, gum disease may cause tooth loss, and our dentist can replace any missing teeth with dental implants or dentures. Besides, these options look and work like natural teeth so your mouth health can be restored after advanced gum disease.
Gum Disease Treatment in Virginia Before & After Images
Preventing Gum Disease
To prevent gum disease, keep your teeth clean—no plaque build-up means no gum disease. If you’re not at risk for gum disease, cleaning your teeth may be as simple as brushing, flossing, and making regular dental cleaning visits here at Family Dentistry Springfield. We can also discuss the best cleaning methods for your mouth to further reduce your risk for gum disease.
If you have a high risk for gum disease, like if you’re diabetic, your six-monthly cleaning visits are even more crucial to prevent gum disease or catch it early. You also want to check your mouth for any signs of gum disease and request an appointment with us if you notice anything unusual.
Rest assured that at Family Dentistry Springfield we will help you restore your mouth health and prevent gum disease in the future.
