Non-surgical Periodontal Gum Treatment in Charlotte, NC

Healthy gums are the foundation for excellent oral health. Proper gum disease treatment can help you maintain happy, healthy gums and avoid surgical treatments and gum disease in Charlotte, NC. 

Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, occurs when gums are inflamed due to a bacterial infection, like untreated tooth decay. When we look at our smiles, we notice that each tooth is securely embedded within our gums and jawbone. When our gums are healthy, they appear pink and firm. When gums are ravaged by gum disease, they will show symptoms, including:

• Bleeding gums
• Swollen, red, tender gums
• Gums that have receded from the tooth
• Constant bad breath that won’t go away, even after brushing
• Pain when biting
• Loose teeth
• Visible blood when you brush your teeth

Oral Health and Gum Disease

Every day, a substance we call plaque coats the surfaces of our teeth and later hardens into tartar. Plaque contains harmful bacteria that attack our teeth’s enamel. Without treatment, this eventually causes cavities and tooth decay. This is why we must brush and floss at least twice a day to battle the neverending build-up of plaque.

When plaque has hardened into tartar or calculus, it is no longer possible to remove it with just a toothbrush. At this stage, only a dentist or dental hygienist can remove hardened plaque using specialized equipment. Tartar opens the door for gum disease and tooth decay. 

When bacteria attack the gums, they often pull away from the teeth and create little pockets around the teeth. As the pockets grow deeper and deeper, they offer an enticing place for more harmful bacteria to thrive. Without treatment, these pockets eventually cause bone and tissue loss. 

Over time, if no action is taken, teeth eventually fall out and create a whole new set of oral health issues. 

What Causes Gum Disease?

There are various reasons gum disease starts to develop, which is why it’s essential to recognize which risk factors are present in your lifestyle and oral health habits that could lead to this potentially devastating dental health condition. 

There are the usual suspects like stress, viral infections, poor diet and nutrition that can quickly require gum disease treatment, along with:

• Smoking or chewing tobacco
• Genetics
• Stress
• Diabetes
• Medication
• Poor health conditions
• Poor oral hygiene

Gum Disease Treatment

Gum disease treatment is necessary if you wish to stop it from spreading. Your Charlotte, NC dentist may recommend starting with a more conservative, non-surgical approach. For many patients, catching gum disease in the early stages allows them to treat it before it advances to the critical stages. 

Afterward, you may need frequent dental visits and cleanings to ensure that the disease is not spreading. You must brush and floss daily to maintain excellent dental health hygiene. 

The primary aim of gum disease treatment is flushing out any destructive bacteria within gum pockets to stop the destruction of tissues and bones. This involves a thorough dental cleaning that eliminates any chronic inflammatory disease. 

Dental Cleaning and Root Scaling

Plaque and calculus build-up needs to be removed to restore your gum’s health. This involves debridement and scaling processes to clean below the gumline completely. The dental professional will use hand tools and ultrasonic equipment to perform this task satisfactorily. 

If bacteria have attacked the tooth’s roots, root planing is necessary to dislodge it. This involves smoothing the surfaces on the root to prevent bacteria buildup. 

The sooner you address gum disease, the less invasive and in-depth the dental procedures are likely to be, so it’s good to take care of your dental health as much as you can. 

In order to prevent future infections, patients must establish a successful oral health routine involving brushing, flossing, and routine dental checkups and cleanings. 

Do You Need Gum Disease Treatment?

If you’re interested in learning more about non-surgical periodontal treatment, give Park Crossing Dentistry a call right away to schedule an appointment.  Oral health issues never fix themselves over time, and this is one area in your life where things can get a lot worse if you ignore them. Treating a dental health issue right away can be the difference between having surgery or not. 

If you have noticed blood in your spit every time you brush your teeth and red, swollen gums, you likely have gum disease. But it’s not all bad news! If you treat it in the early stages, it will never progress to severe periodontal disease, which can impact your tissues and jawbone. 

Call Park Crossing Dentistry to learn more about gum disease treatment!