Many patients notice that a small amount of blood appears in the sink when they brush or floss their teeth. This is a clear sign of gingivitis or early-stage gum disease. Gingivitis is not a dental emergency, but it is a warning sign. It means plaque and tartar are building up along your gums, putting your gum health at risk.
It’s important to be proactive about your gum health and to brush and floss thoroughly after meals to avoid food residue build-up. Gwaltney Dental helps patients avoid the signs and symptoms of gum disease by providing thorough, routine dental cleanings. When gum disease causes significant harm, we may recommend restorative procedures. These treatments help rebuild damaged tissue and restore your mouth’s health.
We are also happy to provide treatment solutions for patients who have progressed past early-stage gum disease. Learn more about our periodontal disease treatment solutions below.
Periodontal Disease Treatment in Suffolk, VA
Dr. Steve Gwaltney, Dr. J. Ryland Gwaltney, and Dr. Whitney Gwaltney offer restorative dentistry in Suffolk, VA. Taking a team approach to dentistry, our doctors help patients restore their beautiful, healthy smiles every day.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of gum disease, periodontal treatment can help restore your gum health. Signs and symptoms of gum disease include:
- Tender, bleeding gums
- Inflamed, discolored gums
- Receding gum line
- Bad breath
- Tooth sensitivity
Gum Disease Stages
Gum disease progresses through different stages. The treatment methods and effectiveness vary depending on the stage you are at.
Gingivitis
This is the first stage of gum disease. Plaque, a sticky film of bacteria, builds up on your teeth. This irritates the gum tissue, causing it to redden and bleed.
It’s the only stage of gum disease that’s reversible. Diligent oral healthcare at home and more frequent cleanings in the office can help reverse the effects.
Mild Periodontitis
At this stage, gum disease is no longer reversible but can be managed. The plaque on your teeth hardens into tartar, which you can’t remove with normal brushing and flossing. It gets below the gumline and causes a serious infection, starting to eat away at the bone. Your gums also begin to pull away from the bone, creating pockets of bacteria and debris.
Scaling and root planing are the usual treatments at this stage. The dentist cleans out the gum pockets that have formed between the bone and gum tissue. Then, we use a tool to smooth down the tooth roots and make it easier for the gum tissue to reattach to the bone.
Moderate Periodontitis
As the infection progresses, you’ll notice more issues with your oral health. Your teeth may feel loose, and you may have trouble chewing. Your bite may feel different. The gum pockets are deeper, and your gums continue to recede further.
Scaling and root planing manage the condition at this stage, too. Usually, you need surgery or laser periodontal treatment to manage it at this stage.
Severe Periodontitis
This is the most serious stage. You experience extreme bone loss, and your teeth loosen and can fall out. You have severely bad breath, and your gums ooze blood and pus. It’s painful to chew, and you have a hard time eating most foods.
Why Gum Disease Treatment is Important
Left untreated, gum disease may lead to permanent soft tissue loss or even tooth loss. It’s important to see your dentist when you notice something is wrong with your gum health. We can treat gum disease with a thorough dental cleaning if caught early. However, if your gum disease progresses too far, we must treat it using our periodontal disease treatment plans.
Periodontal disease treatment plans may include a procedure known as scaling and root planing. We clean deep below the gumline to remove bacteria. For your comfort, we use gentle lasers to treat the area without causing pain
Treating your gum disease is vital to your oral and overall health. Ignoring your symptoms allows the disease to progress and cause serious harm.
Experts link severe gum disease to serious health issues, including heart disease and stroke. Regular dental cleanings are your best defense. They help prevent gum disease altogether or catch it early when treatment is easiest.
Periodontal Disease FAQs
Untreated gum disease can reverberate throughout your entire body. Read the answers to these frequently asked patient questions to learn more.
Can gums grow back after periodontal disease?
While receding gums from gum disease won’t grow back, we can help. Our treatments focus on stopping the problem from progressing to protect your smile.
What stage of gum disease is irreversible?
The second and third stages of gum disease cause permanent damage. That’s why early treatment is so important. If you notice any signs, seek care immediately. The sooner you get treatment, the less damage it will cause.
What is a non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease?
We can treat gum disease non-surgically using laser therapy. According to recent research, scaling and root planing produced results comparable to those of laser treatment in treating periodontitis. Recovery from laser therapy is much easier than recovery from other periodontal therapies.
What is the last stage of periodontal disease?
When the infection transforms into germs that cause disease, gum disease has reached its most advanced stage. It can result in red, pus-oozing, swollen, sensitive, loosened, and painful gums, as well as bone loss.
Does a periodontal cleaning hurt?
Deep cleanings may cause discomfort since they are more thorough and reach deeper below the gum line than standard cleanings. Before beginning a deep cleaning, we numb the treatment location to ensure your comfort throughout the appointment.
Can you stop periodontitis from progressing?
Periodontal disease treatment can prevent periodontitis from progressing, but only if we start treatment early. Regular cleanings are important. If we spot early gingivitis, we can treat it immediately to keep it from getting worse.
How common is periodontitis?
Periodontitis affects 2 in 5 adults in the US. It is one of the most common dental issues, but we can prevent it if we catch and treat it in its earliest stages.
Can stress make gum disease worse?
Stress increases your risk of developing periodontal disease. Stress weakens your body’s defenses. This can allow bacteria in your mouth to cause more harm, leading to gum disease.
Schedule A Dental Exam Today
The best way to avoid gum disease progression is to schedule routine oral health and wellness visits with your Suffolk, VA dentist. If it’s been over six months since your last cleaning, call us to schedule an appointment. If you notice signs of gum disease, you can also schedule an online consultation with us. We look forward to seeing you soon.