Dr. Sim offers various options to treat gum disease outside of surgery. Please read below to learn more about periodontal disease and the different treatment options offered at Family Dental Care.
Dr. Sim offers various options to treat gum disease outside of surgery. Please read below to learn more about periodontal disease and the different treatment options offered at Family Dental Care.
What is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease can affect children through seniors. Depending on the severity of the disease different treatment options will be recommended, along with follow-up visits.
- Gingivitis causes your gums to become swollen and red. They will oftentimes bleed easily but you should not experience any discomfort at this stage. Proper oral care and basic treatment in our dental office should help it reverse.
- Chronic periodontitis is when the tissues around your gums and teeth become red and swollen. If left untreated patients can form pockets where their gum tissue has pulled back and may even experience severe loss of tissue and bone over time. This is typically seen in adults and gradually worsens.
- Aggressive periodontitis can occur in patients who would otherwise be deemed healthy and it is a very destructive form of periodontal disease. Patients may experience in either certain areas in the mouth or their entire mouth.
- A necrotizing periodontal disease is when the tissues around the tooth and connecting bone die. Patients will usually experience bleeding and pain, along with smelling a foul odor.
What Should I Expect During Professional Dental Cleaning?
During your routine check-ups, one of our highly trained dental hygienists will clean around your gumlines until all plaque and tartar have been removed. If we notice signs, or symptoms, of gum disease Dr. Sim may recommend cleanings more often than the standard every six months.
What Happens During Scaling and Root Planning?
This deep-cleaning, done while you're under aesthetic, is used to remove all tartar and plaque around the gumlines, and underneath the gums, along with smoothing any rough spots on your teeth. For your gums to easily reattach to your teeth, it is important that the rough spots are removed to ensure no bacteria can be trapped.