Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the early stages of periodontal disease, when only the soft tissues of the mouth are affected. Plaque buildup leads to tartar and bacteria below the gumline, which leads to inflamed, irritated, or bleeding gums. The good news is, gingivitis is reversible. A good professional cleaning, followed by regular brushing, flossing, and checkups, restores gums to good health by removing plaque and bacteria.
Periodontitis
Periodontitis is marked by the breakdown of structures that surround, secure, and support the teeth. These structures include the bone, gums, and fibers which anchor the teeth to the gums. Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults. Though bone that has been resorbed due to perio disease will not grow back, aggressive treatment and impeccable home care will keep it from getting worse.
Diagnosis
Early signs of gum disease include redness, swelling, or inflammation around the gumline. If these warning signs appear, your dentist will check for calculus (tartar) below the gumline. Your dentist or hygienist may use a tool called a probe to test gums for bleeding and measure periodontal pockets. X-rays will be used to evaluate the bone level around your teeth. Though the main cause of gum disease is lack of oral hygiene, contributing factors include heavy smoking and diabetes.
Treatments
Gingivitis is easily treated with a professional cleaning (prophy) and proper home care to remove the plaque before it becomes calculus. Contributing factors may be dry mouth (due to medications or medical conditions), braces, mouth-breathing, and many more. We will work together to help you maintain healthy gums.
Periodontitis will require more aggressive treatment. A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) may be recommended which involves the removal of plaque/calculus below the gums. For your comfort, anesthesia is used and the procedure is broken up into 2 (or more) visits for the deep cleaning itself and a final polish visit where we remove any residual stain and check for persistent areas of inflammation.
The use of a slow-released antibiotic placed into deep pockets may be necessary as well as prescription mouth rinses.
Perio patients frequently require cleanings and check-ups every 3-4 months. With proper home care and frequent check-ups, patients need regular cleanings to maintain their periodontal health.
