Gum disease is one of the most common oral health problems among Americans, impacting one out of every two adults in the nation, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At Friedland Family Dentistry, our goal is to provide you with high quality preventive dental care so we can diagnose and treat the issue before it has a chance to become more serious. With regular checkups and cleanings, we can tackle the early signs of this disease before it has a chance to cause permanent damage to your mouth, such as tooth loss. If you’re experiencing any symptoms of gum disease or haven’t had a checkup and cleaning in over six months, be sure to contact our office today!
Gum disease is one of the most common oral health problems among adults in the United States. It typically develops over the course of two stages, called gingivitis and periodontitis. When the disease progresses to its more advanced form, it’s impossible to reverse. However, if you don’t receive regular treatments, it could get worse and cause permanent damage to your mouth. If gum disease is caught in its earliest stages, your dentist in Pembroke Pines can treat and reverse the symptoms, restoring the health of your gums and teeth.
Gum disease is typically a result of poor dental hygiene. When harmful oral bacteria are allowed to accumulate, they produce two types of waste. One is in the form of enamel-eroding acid, and the other is an inflammation-causing toxin that results in the earliest signs of gum disease.
There are several symptoms caused by gum disease that you could experience, depending on how severe the condition is. Some of these include:
At Friedland Family Dentistry, we offer multiple different gum disease treatment options depending on what we find during your checkup. They can be combined or used separately to help fight off the symptoms that you’re experiencing.
We may suggest antibiotic therapy in addition to a deep cleaning in order to control the number of harmful oral bacteria present in your mouth and give your gums a chance to heal. The antibiotics can be administered in pill or topical form depending on your needs.
Scaling and root planing is one of the most common treatments that we recommend for the earlier signs of gum disease, like tartar accumulation, bleeding and swelling gums, and gum recession. When these issues aren’t immediately addressed, it allows for the condition to progress and cause even more serious damage to your smile, like permanent tooth loss. To learn more about this two-step gum disease treatment, read below!
We typically recommend scaling and root planing for patients who can’t reverse their symptoms with simple routine brushing and flossing. Some symptoms that may indicate that you require this treatment include:
If you notice any of these, and it has been longer than six months since you last visited your dentist, it’s time for an examination from Dr. Friedland. The longer you leave these symptoms unaddressed, the worse they’ll get.
Scaling and root planing is a two-step process. First. Dr. Friedland will thoroughly clear all plaque and tartar from the surface of your teeth, as far down as the pockets of your gums. These areas are virtually impossible to reach by just brushing and flossing, which is why a professional deep cleaning is crucial to provide your gums with relief.
Root planing is the second part of the treatment. During this part, Dr. Friedland will smooth out the surface of your roots to allow your gum tissue to healthily reattach and protect the more vulnerable root structure of your teeth to prevent them from becoming loose or falling out. Depending on how severe the tartar build-up is, this process may take place over the course of two appointments.
If you have gum disease, getting scaling and root planing can help minimize any uncomfortable side-effects of the condition and provide your gums with much-needed relief. In addition, removing all of the tartar and getting rid of harmful oral bacteria that are causing the condition to escalate can help your mouth fight off the infection. This treatment can not only keep gum disease from getting worse, but it can also help reverse the condition if conducted early on.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about gum disease treatment in Pembroke Pines, don’t hesitate to contact our office.