What are Gum Disease Treatment Options?

In this post, we will review the types of gum disease and the most common forms of treatments for each. Learn more about treatments so you can be prepared for a meeting with your dentist.

If you have been diagnosed with gum disease, you are not alone. According to the Center for Disease Control, gum disease affects almost half of all adults in the United States and almost two-thirds of people over the age of 65.

There are three types of gum disease: Gingivitis, Periodontitis, and Advanced Periodontitis. There are some treatments available for each type, depending on how advanced the gum disease has become.

Once your gum disease has advanced from Gingivitis to Periodontitis, it is no longer curable though. It can be managed and controlled, and hopefully stopped from advancing, but it is something you will need to treat indefinitely.

When you have been diagnosed with gum disease, your dentist should advise you about treatment options for your particular case. Follow your dentist\’s instructions and you should be able to halt your gum disease from advancing.

If you believe you are experiencing signs of gum disease and may have it, please schedule an appointment with your dentist immediately. The sooner you can begin treating the issue the better!

---

Schedule an appointment – Call (972) 964-3774

---

Only you and your dentist can determine a gum disease treatment program. We will review some of the most common treatments for gum disease below.

Gum Disease Treatments

Gingivitis Treatment

Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease and is caused by excess plaque buildup. Gingivitis can usually be reversed with daily brushing and flossing, as well as regular cleaning by your dentist. With proper care, you can prevent it from advancing to an incurable form of periodontal gum disease.

Periodontitis Treatment

If gingivitis is not treated, it can advance to the more serious gum disease known as “periodontitis”. In periodontitis, gums begin to pull away from the teeth and this forms spaces (called “pockets”) that become infected. There are many possibilities for periodontitis treatments; you will need to discusss with your dentist to see what will work best for you.

Related: 9 Facts About Gum Disease You Should Know

Nonsurgical Gum Disease Treatment

Your first step in treating periodontitis is a conservative, nonsurgical treatment called scaling and root planing.

Your dentist provides this treatment by scraping and removing the plaque and tartar off of your teeth and root surfaces by scaling, and then smoothing away any roughness on the roots to prevent bacteria from gathering again. This may take more than one visit and a local anesthetic can be used to prevent any discomfort. After this process, the gums will heal and reattach themselves to the healthy, clean surfaces of the teeth. Within a few weeks, your dentist will evaluate your healing and decide if further treatment is necessary.

Pocket Reduction Gum Disease Treatment

After scaling and root planing, if the gum tissue is not fitting snugly around the tooth and you can\’t keep the deep pocket area clean, you may be a candidate for periodontal pocket reduction or flap surgery. By folding back the gum tissue, your dentist can remove infectious bacteria and smooth areas of damaged bone, allowing the gum tissue to reattach to healthy bone.

Gum Graft Treatment

Exposed roots due to gum recession can be covered with gum grafts, wherein gum tissue is taken from your palate or from another source and used to cover the roots of one or more teeth. Covering exposed roots helps reduce sensitivity and protects your roots from decay while stopping further gum recession and bone loss.

Regenerative Procedures

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that promotes the growth of bone in an area where bone has been destroyed by periodontal disease. During this treatment, your dentist will eliminate bacteria and then place either natural or synthetic bone in the area of bone loss, along with tissue-stimulating proteins to help your body effectively regrow bone and tissue.

Maintenance

Careful home care is the key to keeping periodontal disease from rearing its ugly head. The care you give to your teeth after treatments will be critical and it\’s likely your dentist will dedicate time to making sure you understand proper brushing, flossing, and dental routines.

We hope that this article gives you a general idea of the general gum disease treatment options available. We want to help educate and inform people so they can have the best smile possible.

---

David Wilhite is a Plano Dentist specializing in gum disease treatment with over 30 years of experience in general and cosmetic dentistry. He can help you with everything from a consultation, to a check-up, to cleaning, whitening, and full mouth restoration.

Together we will transform your smile!

Contact us online or call us today at (972) 964-3774

---

Related resources:

Juice image credit: Pixabay

AAP says juice a no-no for babies – ADA

Don’t Give Your Baby Fruit Juice, But A Little For Older Kids Is Okay, Say Pediatricians – >Forbes

American Academy of Pediatrics Recommends No Fruit Juice For Children Under 1 Year – AAP

---