Your Gum Health is Critically Important, and a Periodontist Can Keep Gums Healthy

A periodontist wants only the best for your gums. We hardly notice our gums when they are healthy, but when they become badly infected, they call draw all kinds of attention to themselves. Thankfully, a periodontist is always on hand to make sure that it never gets to that point. Even better, a periodontist will give you the information and proactive care you need to prevent gum disease from happening in the first place.

Maintaining healthy gums

The gums anchor the teeth in place and provide the structures that supply the dental pulp with oxygen and nutrients. This means that when the gums are healthy, then there is a very high chance that the teeth are healthy too. It also means that when a person develops periodontal gum disease, the teeth are more likely to fall out. A periodontist will always advise their patients on how to keep their gums healthy, and the advice is pretty easy to follow:

• Observe good oral hygiene
• Eat a healthy diet with little sugar
• Get the teeth cleaned by a professional every six months

These simple, time-tested tips will keep plaque from accumulating at the base of the teeth and in the gum pockets. With this age-old advice, a person will keep their teeth, gums and entire mouth healthy and free of dental problems.

Dealing with the early stages of gum disease

If a person’s oral habits are not up to scratch or if they have some underlying issue, they risk developing gingivitis (also known as mild gum disease). The good news is that gingivitis can be reversed simply by improving oral habits and getting a professional cleaning.

The bad news is that gum disease is sneaky. It does not show obvious or painful symptoms until it is quite advanced. However, a vigilant person will notice the following subtle changes:

• Bleeding when brushing the teeth
• Swollen and tender gums that are slightly spongy
• Bad breath
• Small pockets between the gums and the teeth

Because gingivitis is painless, a person may shrug off these symptoms. That is why regular dental checkups are important. They act as an early warning system for gum disease.

Periodontal disease

Gingivitis can develop into periodontitis if a person lets it. It is more noticeable than mild gum disease because it causes pain when a person chews. Other symptoms of advanced gum disease are persistent bad breath, loose teeth and sometimes pus at the base of the teeth. A periodontist will treat gum disease by:

1. Scaling and root planing: During this procedure, a dental scaler is used to remove plaque and tartar from the parts of the teeth that are covered by the gums. Root planing stimulates the regeneration of healthy gum tissue.

The root planing procedure will often involve gum flap surgery, especially when the gum disease is widespread. With gum flap surgery, the periodontist will also remove any infected tissue under the gums.

2. Pocket reduction: Teeth are supposed to have tiny gum pockets, but with gum disease, the pockets can reach depths of more than six millimeters. Pocket reduction surgically removes the deep pockets so that the gums fit snugly over the teeth.

3. Bone grafts and soft tissue grafts: Periodontal disease leads to bone loss and the loss of gum tissue. To restore the structures that hold teeth in place, a periodontist will take bone and soft tissues from other parts of the mouth and place them onto the area that needs the grafts.

4. Tooth replacement: A periodontist will also place dental implants to replace any teeth lost to gum disease.

If you are dealing with gingivitis, periodontitis or any other gum-related dental issue, stop by our office and talk to a periodontist.

Request an appointment here: https://www.westtexasperio.com or call Advanced Periodontics & Implant Dentistry at (432) 538-3318 for an appointment in our Odessa office.

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