Gum Disease

Healthy gums are a key aspect of a beautiful smile, andperiodontal disease can cause many different dental problems like loose teeth,sensitive teeth, swollen or bleeding gums, missing teeth, and even boneloss. 

The Causes of GumDisease

There are many different levels of gum disease and it’sestimated that up 80 percent of the people in the United States are sufferingfrom some form of gum disease. Your mouth is filled with different types ofbacteria, and much of it is good for you, but there are some forms of bacteriathat can cause gum disease problems.

Gingivitis - themost basic form of gum disease is characterized by red, swollen gums that canbleed fairly easily. Gingivitis occurs when too much of the harmful bacteria isallowed to spread on the gums without being taken care of.

Periodontitis – ifgingivitis is not treated, it can lead to this more serious form of gumdisease. Periodontitis occurs when the gums go beyond the red, swollen stageand actually begin to pull away from the teeth forming pockets of decay withinthe gums, bone and connective tissue.

Gum Disease Treatments

Although gum disease can be very serious if it goes untreated,you can make sure your gums stay healthy brushing and flossing your teeth twicea day. For most people, this can reverse most of the effects of early stages ofgum disease. In addition good oral hygiene, visiting an experienced cosmetic or general dentistregularly and avoiding tobacco products can also help you prevent gum disease.

If the gum disease has advanced past the gingivitis stage andhas become periodontitis, there are a few different treatment options thatcould be used to restore the health of your gums:

·    DeepCleaning – During this procedure, a dentist will remove the plaque and bacteriabetween the gums and tooth roots and then polish the tooth root so that morebacteria doesn’t develop again.

·    Medications– Prescription medications are generally used in conjunction with deep cleaningand can help prevent the onset of gum disease.

·    Surgery– If your gum disease is very advanced, you may require surgery to remove allthe harmful bacteria and plaque; you may also need to have teeth removed. Ifthe gum disease has cause bone or tissue loss, you may need to have bone graftsor tissue grafts performed.

Visiting a qualified dentist regularly canhelp you identify the early stages of gum disease so that you don’t have to gothrough any of these serious treatments. If you have suffered from gum diseasein the past and now have decayed or missing teeth, a cosmetic dentist canprovide porcelain veneers, white fillings, dental implants or porcelain crowns so that you canregain your smile.