Periodontal Treatment: Don’t Let Gum Disease Steal Your Smile!
Do you have gum disease? You can tell if you have this common oral condition if your gums are tender to touch, look red or swollen, or bleed when brushing your teeth. Left untreated, gum disease causes gum recession and damages your teeth-supporting structures, resulting in tooth loss. Worse yet, periodontal disease has been linked to systemic issues like heart disease, diabetes, pregnancy complications, etc., because of the mouth-body connection.
Sonoma Smiles in Rohnert Park, California, uses the latest technologies to treat gum disease conservatively. Don’t compromise on your smile—seek gum disease treatment from Dr. Wayne Sutton and the team to enjoy the confidence of a healthy, radiant smile.
How does gum disease develop?
Poor oral hygiene causes dental plaque—a colorless, sticky bacteria film that clings to your mouth over time. The bacteria in plaque secrete toxins that irritate your gums to cause gingivitis—the mildest form of periodontal disease.
Symptoms of gum disease can be mild, but they escalate quickly. Failure to treat gingivitis causes the infection to spread below the gum line and damages the periodontal ligaments. Loose gums pull away from teeth and cause deep periodontal pockets that are inaccessible without the dentist’s intervention.
Eventually, gum disease attacks the gums and bones that support teeth, causing tooth loss! The good news is that gum disease is treatable even for advanced cases.
How is gum disease treated?
When diagnosed early, gum disease (gingivitis) is reversible with standard cleanings and optimal oral hygiene. However, once it progresses, it requires advanced treatments to restore periodontal health.
The standard treatment for advanced gum disease is deep teeth cleaning. This non-surgical treatment uses scaling and root planing (SRP) to eradicate the infection and promote healing. Scaling uses special tools to remove bacteria toxins and calcified deposits from the deep periodontal pockets. Planing smoothes out your tooth roots to leave a polished, infection-free surface for easy tissue reattachment to the teeth.
Dr. Sutton combines deep teeth cleanings with state-of-the-art laser dentistry to combat gum disease. Instead of manual tools, the dentist uses high-energy light to remove diseased tissues and eradicate tartar from deep periodontal pockets. We love laser dentistry because of its pinpoint accuracy, non-invasiveness, and ability to stimulate tissues to promote healing.
How do I prevent gum disease?
While we offer effective periodontal treatments, we emphasize prevention because it’s cost-effective and doesn’t subject you to unnecessary discomfort.
Protect your gums from infections by observing the following.
• Brush your teeth twice daily
• Floss your teeth at least once every day, especially before bedtime
• Consider an antibacterial mouthwash
• Visit your dentist twice annually for routine dental exams and cleanings
• Eat a dental-friendly diet—limit the intake of sugary and acidic foods
• Manage immune-suppressing conditions like depression and diabetes
• Quit tobacco use
Do you need gum disease treatment?
Do you suspect periodontal disease? Have you been diagnosed with gum disease? If so, take action now! Gum disease progresses “silently,” and you only notice the damage when it’s too late. Consider gum disease treatment today from Sonoma Smiles by calling (707) 868-0666.
