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What is Gum Disease?
Gum (periodontal) disease is caused by plaque – bacteria that builds up on your teeth and creates toxins. These toxins affect the gum tissue and bones surrounding the teeth.
Though it may be painless at first and grow slowly, gum disease can have serious consequences. Not only could you lose your teeth, but because gum health interconnects with many other aspects of oral and physical health, this infection can put you at risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. This is why it is essential that we do not allow it to progress to the more serious stages.
What Are the Different Types of Gum Disease?
The two types of gum disease include:
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is early-stage gum disease. At this point, you may notice that your gums are painful and swollen as well as blood when you are brushing or flossing.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is the more serious form of gum disease. At this stage, your gums recede and bacteria eventually fills pockets between gums and teeth. Light to moderate bone loss in the jaw can also happen.
Advanced Periodontitis
Teeth lose support as your gums, bone, and periodontal ligament break down. Moderate to severe bone loss in your jaw may occur, and your teeth can become loose or fall out.
How You Can Keep Your Gums Healthy
Though gum disease has scary outcomes, most cases are preventable with good oral hygiene and regular checkups. Here’s what you can do at home and how your dentist can help:
Caring For Your Gum Health At Home
- Brush at least twice daily
- Floss once per day
- Rinse thoroughly with an alcohol-free anti-gingivitis mouthwash
- See your dentist regularly and let them know about any changes, gum sensitivity or soreness
How Your Dentist Can Help Care For Your Gums & Teeth
Using routine professional cleanings your dentist will monitor your oral health in order to diagnose and treat any issues as early as possible.
They’ll ask if you’ve noticed any changes or sensitivity in your gums, whether you’ve been following your regular oral care routine, and whether can answer questions about oral hygiene and care.
How is Gum Disease Treated?
At Peace Country Dental Clinic, our dental team can offer a variety of options to help you maintain healthy gums, and prevent and treat gum disease:
Preventive Dental Hygiene
To treat early-stage gum disease, we recommend frequent hygiene appointments, deep cleanings and specialized home care routines.
Restoring Your Gums With Grafts
This surgical procedure thickens gums, protects against the damaging effects of gum recession and can help adjust the appearance of your smile.
Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation Surgery
The Chao Pinhole® Surgical Technique is a scalpel-free, suture-free option for treating gum recession. A dentist uses a needle to make a small hole in the patient’s existing gum tissue, through which they use special instruments to gently loosen the gum tissue. The gumline is gently adjusted to cover the exposed root structure.
Contouring your Teeth & Gums
These cosmetic procedures can help improve your smile’s overall aesthetics. Teeth contouring involves using a dental drill to shave away excess tooth material and reshaping chipped, uneven or poorly aligned teeth, and if you have any excess gum tissue this can be contoured away.