According to studies from the Centers for Disease Control, half of adults over the age of 30 suffer from periodontal disease. Without treatment to manage your gum disease, you risk uncomfortable symptoms and even tooth loss, as well as inflammatory illnesses. But our team can help manage the issues to safeguard your smile and overall health. In today’s blog, your Lake Orion, MI, dentist talks about how we protect smiles with periodontal services. Good gum health means a full and beautiful smile, and our team is ready to make it possible for you and your family.
The Causes of Gum Disease
What causes gum disease to form in our smiles? The issue starts when the gums become inflamed, also known as gingivitis. This could be due to factors like plaque buildup, brought on by a diet high in sugar and starch, as well as poor brushing and flossing habits. As the tissues become inflamed and treatment is not administered to reverse this, the tissues could pull away from the teeth and form pockets at the gum line. Once disease-causing bacteria enter these pockets, then the disease develops. There is no cure for periodontal disease, but we can manage it to help you avoid discomfort and other major complications, including adult tooth loss.
The Common Symptoms
How do you know when to see our team for periodontal treatments? You should contact us for an appointment when you notice any changes to your periodontal tissues. For example, swelling, soreness, redness, and bleeding when you brush and floss could all be indicators. You could also notice your gums receding, this makes teeth appear longer than normal. Treatment is crucial for protecting your smile from painful symptoms, tooth decay and infection, and the advanced stage of the disease that causes adult tooth loss!
Inflammatory illnesses
Periodontal disease is an inflammatory issue, and the presence of it could increase the risk of diabetes, dementia, and even issues with your heart health, such as heart disease. Another reason that treatment to manage it is so crucial for smiles of all ages!
The Link to Tooth Loss
How does the disease cause tooth loss? When you reach the advanced periodontitis stage, the tissues that connect your teeth and gums will be severed, which leads to loose and eventually, missing teeth. Our team can offer care to prevent this from happening. But if you have already lost teeth, we could discuss lifelike and durable tooth replacement to provide a full smile again.
Periodontal Cleanings
How do we manage the issue and keep your smile intact? We often conduct a periodontal cleaning! The procedure involves numbing your smile beforehand. We then use an ultrasonic scaling device to remove plaque and tartar buildup using gentle vibrations. A manual pick is then employed to remove any remaining stubborn portions of tartar. The procedure could take one visit, or as many as four, it all depends on the extent of your buildup. We then polish your smile afterward to help limit the ability for buildup to occur before your next visit, and to brighten your smile. To manage the issue afterward, we may recommend a traditional dental cleaning every three to four months.
Better Care at Home
Our team will also talk to you about better homecare habits to better protect your gum health. For example, each day you need to brush and floss to remove stray food and drink particles and control buildup. We suggest limiting how much sugar and starch are in your diet, and also avoiding tobacco products. These actions also help fight issues like tooth decay, bad breath, and teeth stains.
If you have any questions about how we treat and manage periodontal disease to keep your smile healthy and strong, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you enjoy good oral health with a holistic and preventive approach to dental care. We all deserve full and beautiful smiles, and our team is ready to help!
Schedule Periodontal Treatment With Lake Orion Family Dentistry
We want to provide care to manage disease and keep your smile intact. Summer is a great time to see us for care, so you and your family can start fall and a new school year with healthier and brighter smiles. To find out more about how we safeguard your gum health, or to schedule your child’s visit with our team, call Lake Orion Family Dentistry in Lake Orion, MI at (248)693-6213. A smile that makes you feel confident is possible, and we are ready to help you.
