When people think about their oral health, the majority will only focus on their teeth. After all, the teeth typically take center stage when it comes to your smile. Yet, there is another part of your mouth that is vital to the health of your smile: the gums. Your gums play a critical role in your overall oral health. In fact, your gums are like the foundation of your smile. If the gums are not healthy, your smile can suffer. One of the more common issues that can affect the gums is periodontal disease or gum disease. Our goal at Conde Family Dental is to take preventative measures to support the health of your gums. We also have treatment options available to bring back your gum health.
What is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal (gum) disease is a condition that affects the gums and other supporting structures of the teeth. For most people, gum disease begins with the buildup of plaque along the gum line. Plaque is a type of bacteria that clings to each surface in your mouth. This bacteria can eat through your enamel and inflame the gums. If you don’t remove plaque during your daily routine, it will continue to build and turn into tartar. As a result, this can lead to inflammation and infection of the soft tissue.
To avoid issues that arise with gum disease, you should be able to identify the signs and symptoms.
- red, swollen, or tender gums
- bleeding gums, especially when brushing or flossing
- receding gums
- chronic bad breath
- loose or shifting teeth
When you see these signs, you need to make a visit to Dr. Conde as soon as possible. We will evaluate your oral health and take the appropriate measures to protect your oral health.
Periodontal Disease Treatment in Buckhannon, WV
At Conde Family Dental, we take a proactive approach to treating gum disease. First, we try to prevent gum disease if at all possible. We focus on prevention and intervention. Our goal is to stop the progression of gum disease as soon as possible. As a result, we can restore your gum health and prevent any further issues or damage.
One of the more common treatments we use for gum disease is scaling and root planing. You can think of this as a deep dental cleaning. During this procedure, we will remove any plaque or tartar from below the gum line. We will also smooth out the tooth roots to promote healing and prevent bacteria from building back up.
In other cases, Dr. Conde may choose antibiotic therapy to get rid of the bacteria causing the infection. This can be in the form of oral antibiotics or mouth rinses. Each method will target the infection directly.
After your gum disease treatment, it is vital to maintain good oral hygiene habits at home. With the right routine, you can prevent the disease from recurring. Dr. Conde and our team will work with you closely to create a daily routine and regular visits to monitor your gum health.