Why You Should Treat Gum Disease In The Early Stages
It's important to seek help from your dentist when you notice the early signs of gum disease. If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth or your gums look red and swollen, you could have gingivitis, which is an early stage of gum disease. This condition can progress into periodontitis, which is a more advanced condition and requires special treatments. Here's why early treatment for gingivitis is important and what could happen if your gingivitis is left untreated.
Why Treating Gingivitis Is Important
Bleeding when you brush your teeth may seem like a minor problem, but it's a sign of infection and inflammation. By treating gingivitis, you may reverse your gum disease and keep it from turning into a more serious medical problem. Otherwise, the infection can spread from your gums to your bone. Plus, treating gingivitis is less complicated and less expensive than treating advanced gum disease, which may require surgery. By seeing your dentist regularly, getting teeth cleanings on schedule, and practicing good oral hygiene at home, you can prevent gingivitis or keep it from returning once your dentist has treated it by deep-cleaning your teeth.
What Happens When Gingivitis Isn't Treated
As the oral infection spreads and tartar keeps building up on your teeth, your gums pull away and create spaces that allow bacteria to get to the roots of your teeth and bone. This can cause bone loss and loss of gum tissue. Without strong support, your teeth get loose and fall out. An even more serious problem is the infection deep in your mouth that can spread through your body and complicate conditions like heart disease or diabetes.
How Advanced Gum Disease Is Treated
Your dentist may send you to a periodontist for treatment of advanced gum disease, especially when surgery is needed. A common treatment is flap surgery, and during this procedure, the dentist makes an incision in your gums and pulls the tissue out of the way so your bone and teeth roots are exposed. Your dentist can then remove diseased tissue and clean the area. This might entail removing tartar and rough spots on your bone that trap bacteria.
Before stitching your gums back in place, the dentist may insert antibiotics to help fight the infection. The periodontist might need to do a bone or tissue graft at the same time. While your gum area will be numb during the procedure, you will probably have discomfort for a few days as you recover. You may need to use antibiotic oral care products and eat soft foods for several days until your gums have healed.
Like gingivitis, advanced gum disease can often be prevented with proper dental care, so seeing your dentist regularly and taking good care of your teeth are essential steps for maintaining your oral health. Contact businesses like Calm Waters Dentistry - Mooresville for more information or assistance.