How to Stop Gum Disease in Its Tracks to Protect Your Teeth

Your teeth connect to your jawbone, and it’s your gum tissue that helps hold them in place. Gums also support the roots of your teeth. Clearly, they are essential to your dental health.  

Periodontitis is another name for gum disease, and it’s a common problem that can erode the jawbone and lead to other oral health issues. Fortunately, gum disease can be prevented and treated. 

If you live in Richmond Hill, Georgia, and are dealing with the symptoms of gum disease, Dr. Nils Anderson and our staff at Village Dental can help.

Facts about gum disease

Gum disease is inflammation and infection of the gums that often results from poor dental hygiene. That said, even people with optimal daily dental care habits can be prone to it. 

It’s often painless, so you can go a long time without knowing you have it. However, when symptoms present, they include redness, swelling, and tenderness in gums, along with bleeding, bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth, and loose teeth.

In addition to poor hygiene, gum disease can happen because of genetics, using tobacco products (chewing or smoking), misaligned teeth, diabetes, and pregnancy. Some medications like calcium channel blockers, oral contraceptives, steroids, cancer therapy, and epilepsy medications can also lead to gum disease.

Stages of gum disease

There are four stages of gum disease:

Gingivitis

You might experience redness, puffiness, and bleeding. However, there is no bone loss. This stage is completely reversible.

Mild

The bacteria infects the gums, targeting the supporting bone underneath. The gums pull away from teeth, creating space for bacteria that toothbrushing can’t reach.

Moderate

Erosion of the ligaments starts happening. You might experience bad breath and see pus. This stage of gum disease is painful.

Advanced

The late stage of this illness sees further erosion of tissue, leading to bone and tooth loss.

Prevention and treatment

Getting treatment for gum disease is crucial to help prevent further damage. Here’s what it could involve:

• Professional cleanings: removing plaque and tartar is vital to protecting gums

• Scaling and root planing: a deeper cleaning that works below the gum line to remove bacteria

• Medications: antiseptic chips, microspheres, antibiotic gels, or enzyme suppressants 

• Grafts: bone or soft tissue grafts can repair damage done to gums

• Flap surgery: the gums are pulled back to remove bacteria and plaque, and bone is smoothed to prevent further infection

• Bone surgery: moderate or advanced bone loss can be reshaped to prevent bacterial growth

• Guided regeneration: when supporting bone is destroyed, this treatment stimulates bone and tissue growth

Gum disease can be treated at any stage. However, the earlier we catch it, the easier it will be to take care of. Make an appointment with Dr. Anderson and the team at Village Dental today to improve your oral health.