Gum disease is a common, but still significant concern. Caused by a buildup of oral bacteria, gum disease can lead to pain, bleeding, and even tooth loss if left untreated. At Russell Family Dentistry, Dr. Louis Russell and our team offer periodontal care to help prevent and treat this condition. We can remove harmful bacteria and check for early symptoms to provide conservative care. If you are suffering from a more advanced stage of the disease, we can perform scaling and root planing at our Tomball, TX, office. This process can remove harmful substances and alleviate discomfort, as well as lower your risk for tooth loss. Because gum disease has been linked to other serious health conditions, regular periodontal care can also protect your overall health.
What Is Gum Disease?
Everyone’s mouth naturally contains bacteria, and many of these microbes are beneficial. Other types, however, are quite harmful. Harmful bacteria typically accumulates when you do not practice proper dental hygiene. In some cases, bacteria can build even if you brush and floss thoroughly. For instance, a compromised immune system can make it more difficult to combat microbes. Smoking, genetics, a sugary diet, and other health conditions can also lead to excess oral bacteria.
As the microbes build, they will gather along and underneath your gum line, leading to the first stage of gum disease. This stage is called gingivitis, and it is reversible. Symptoms of gingivitis include slight inflammation and sensitivity, redness, and minor bleeding. If you do not receive treatment quickly, the bacteria can spread deeper into your gums, leading to periodontitis, the second stage of gum disease. In this stage, the bacteria will create pockets around your tooth roots, and you could suffer from more pronounced discomfort, significant bleeding, and chronic bad breath. The pockets will slowly grow larger and pull away from your dental roots, loosening teeth before leading to eventual tooth loss. Periodontitis is not curable, but appropriate care can preserve your oral health and prevent serious oral damage.
Gum disease can lead to tooth loss if not treated with regular periodontal care.
Gum Disease Prevention and Treatments
Our first goal is to stop gum disease from developing. Along with good at-home hygiene, regular dental visits are one of the easiest ways to combat this condition. At each visit, your hygienist will remove bacteria from your teeth and gums. In fact, a routine cleaning is usually enough to prevent or reverse gingivitis. Nonetheless, if you have developed this condition, we can provide tips to help you improve your daily dental care.
If your case is more advanced, we may need to perform scaling and root planing. During this procedure, a member of our team can remove all buildups of plaque and tartar from the tooth surface and below the gum line. We will also smooth your dental roots, buffing away microscopic fissures that can trap bacteria. Although root planing can lower your risk for a flare-up in the future, it is still vital that you take extra caution with your oral health. In fact, if you have already been diagnosed with gum disease, we recommend scheduling three to four dental visits per year.
The Importance of Periodontal Care
We place a heavy emphasis on periodontal treatment because of the many benefits it can have for your long-term oral and physical health. Our care can ease your discomfort and preserve your natural teeth, eliminating the need for subsequent tooth loss and restorative care and preventing jawbone recession (a common effect of tooth loss). Furthermore, untreated gum disease can raise your risk for other health conditions since oral bacteria can spread throughout your body via your blood stream. These systemic concerns include difficulty controlling diabetes, pregnancy complications, and a higher risk for heart attack and stroke.
Our care can ease your discomfort and preserve your natural teeth, eliminating the need for subsequent tooth loss and restorative care and preventing jawbone recession (a common effect of tooth loss).
Prevent or Treat Gum Disease
Our comprehensive periodontal care is quick and minimally invasive. We can protect your smile and overall health for life. Whether you need a routine cleaning, or you are suffering from more advanced periodontitis, contact our office online to book an appointment. You can also reach us at (281) 351-5458.
