What Is Gum Disease, And Why Should I Be Worried?
There are two types of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis is an inflammation of the gums and is caused by improper oral hygiene. Periodontitis occurs when gingivitis is left untreated and is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue around your teeth. If not treated, gingivitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. Gum disease can be prevented through correct oral hygiene, regular dental exams, and cleanings. Regular visits to the dentist will allow the doctor to catch gingivitis in its earliest stages, reversing it and stopping it from progressing.
What Are the Symptoms?
Symptoms of gum disease are red, swollen, and bleeding gums.
What Is Periodontics?
Periodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the structures that support and surround the teeth. It is the branch of dentistry that diagnoses, prevents, and treats periodontal disease.
Non-surgical Treatment of Gum Disease
Gum disease can be treated. How it is treated depends on how advanced it is and the patient’s oral and overall health. The non-surgical treatment for gum disease is scaling and root planing. It is a deep cleaning procedure that is divided into two parts and requires a local anesthetic.
Scaling
Scaling is when the dentist removes all the plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline all the way to the bottom of the pocket (the space surrounding your teeth under the gumline).
Root Planing
Root planing is when the dentist smooths the roots of your teeth to ensure that the gums reattach to them.
Why Should I Be Worried?
You shouldn’t — not if you take care of your oral health, brush your teeth twice a day, floss daily, and come in for regular dental exams and cleanings. Brushing and flossing will prevent plaque from building up on your teeth, and regular, professional cleanings will remove any tartar that can cause gum disease. Regular checkups ensure that the dentist can monitor the health of your gums, catching any issues early enough to treat and reverse them.
Contact us at our office located in Bowie, MD, to schedule your next dental exam and cleaning. We look forward to seeing you soon!
