A Gum Care Treatment Can Improve Your Oral Health

There are two main types of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontal disease (bone loss). Both of these diseases are caused by plaque, which is a collection of bacteria that lives in the mouth. When plaque is left on teeth around the gum tissue, it can cause inflammation to the gums, which causes them to bleed or appear swollen. When the plaque is left to sit for longer periods of time (i.e. when someone isn’t flossing), the plaque can harden into tarter (also known as calculus) and cause bone loss around the teeth. This bone loss is irreversible and is better known as periodontal disease, or periodontitis. More than half of people over age 30 have some form of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss in adults; and worst of all, it is often painless and can go undetected. When you visit Highpoint Dental Care and Implant Center Care and Implant Center, we assess your gums for signs of gum disease and make recommendations for your oral health as this plays an important role in total body health. We can care for your gums and teeth to prevent gum disease, and we can also diagnose and treat your gums if you already have gum disease. We will ensure through a variety of treatments that we will maintain your oral health. If you currently have gum disease, Highpoint Dental Care and Implant Center Care and Implant Center offers several nonsurgical methods to improve your gums and prevent bone loss. If you do not have gum disease, Highpoint Dental Care and Implant Center Care and Implant Center will provide regular cleaning services and make sure you maintain regular dental visits to maintain the highest quality of oral health care.

Non-surgical Gum Care Treatment

We offer non-surgical gum care treatment and more advanced gum care treatment if necessary. Our more common non-surgical treatments are listed below.

Dental Cleaning

: This may sound simple, but a dental cleaning is incredibly important to your oral health. During your checkup, we will remove plaque and any tartar that has built up on your teeth. We will remove bacteria and tartar from your teeth above or slightly below the gumline. You should have your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year if you are diagnosed with gingivitis or healthy gums.

Scaling and Root Planing

In the presence of periodontal disease, our scaling and root planing gum care treatment is used to remove tartar from deep below your gum line and from around your roots. We often perform this treatment with topical anesthetic or sometimes local anesthetic when we believe gum disease is developing to keep you very comfortable. We will remove all tartar from your teeth during this visit, which is sometimes staged into two visits. Often times, we will place an antibiotic in selective areas to further cure inflammation and pocketing around your teeth. This will prevent mild periodontal disease from growing into severe periodontal disease, which could lead to tooth loss.

Surgical Gum Care Treatment

If periodontal disease is severe, it may be necessary to suggest a surgical method to treat the gums. Although rare, we can discuss surgical gum care treatment when it is necessary. We work with top notch specialty dentists in the area known as periodontists that treat these rare and extreme cases of periodontal disease through flap surgery (pocket reduction surgery), LANAP (laser surgery), or bone grafting (rebuilding bone).

Our goal at Highpoint Dental Care and Implant Center Care and Implant Center is to help our patient’s keep their teeth for life. Regular dental check ups and gum/periodontal assessments are key components of high-quality oral care and your overall health. For more information about how we can help you improve your oral health, call us at 303-617-9100