As a Columbia, MD, family and cosmetic dentist office, we emphasize regular dental care. We can help you maintain good oral hygiene, get regular professional cleanings, and provide examinations to keep natural teeth for life. Common issues like tooth decay or gum disease can quickly worsen over time. We offer gum disease treatment in Columbia, MD to help patients restore the health and comfort of their gums.
Healthy Gums are the Foundation for a Healthy Smile
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that threatens the gums and bone tissue that support healthy teeth. In most cases, patients do not realize they have gum disease, especially if they smoke. Nicotine reduces blood supply to prevent gum bleeding and swelling.
Routine preventive dental care enables us to look for early signs of gum disease. In our Columbia, Maryland office, we will use advanced dental care technology to examine, diagnose, and treat your gum disease. When treated early, conservative measures are often successful and can prevent the development of more complex dental problems down the road.
About Gum Disease
Gum disease affects more than 75% of adults at some point. This problem is linked to more serious conditions, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and preterm births.
Research has suggested two mechanisms for how gum disease and these other serious medical concerns could be related. Moderate to severe gum disease increases systemic (bodily) inflammation — a characteristic of all chronic inflammatory diseases.
What Causes Gum Disease?
Gum disease, along with dental caries (cavities), is one of the leading causes of tooth loss. More than three-quarters of adults are affected by gum disease, mostly caused by bacterial plaque build-up.
Other factors that contribute to gum disease may include teeth grinding, TMJ dysfunction, tobacco use, hormonal changes (as in pregnancy or menopause), and poor nutrition. You must seek treatment for gum disease at our Columbia, MD dentist office as soon as you see signs of the disease.
Stages of Gum Disease
There are two key stages of gum disease, each of which can have a progression of symptoms. Typically, patients do not realize they have this problem until later, when damage to the gums affects the teeth or gums become significantly irritated. This is why we must thoroughly examine gum disease in our Columbia, MD, dentist’s office.
Gingivitis: Also known as gum inflammation, gingivitis is typically easy to treat but may require additional at-home care to prevent it from returning. Patients with recurring gingivitis may benefit from more frequent dental cleanings in our dentist office.
Periodontitis: An advanced gum disease, periodontitis can cause permanent damage to the gum tissue and weaken the teeth. This often requires intensive treatment to address damage and restore oral health.
While you cannot reverse periodontitis, you can keep your symptoms under control if you have mild symptoms. Gum disease begins with mild periodontitis. As bacteria inflame your gums, you can experience gum sensitivtiy and pain. We may recommend a deep cleaning in our office to help remove these bacteria.
If gum disease spreads without treatment, it becomes moderate periodontitis. At this point, you can exeircne deep gum pockets as the gums pull away from the teeth. Deep cleanings and even surgery are options at this stage.
Advanced periodontitis is the final stage of gum disease. You may have loose teeth at this point, and will need surgery to rebuild your teeth and gums.
Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease
The most common signs of gum disease include:
- Bleeding gums
- Gum recession
- Irritated, red, or swollen gums
- Loose teeth or changes in your bite
- Sensitivity
- Persistent bad breath
- Mouth sores or pus between gums and teeth
- Bad breath, or halitosis
- Changes in the fit of dentures
If you notice any changes in your gum health, call our office for an exam. We will help you determine the best treatment to reverse your symptoms.
Periodontal Therapy Treatment
Our periodontal therapy treatments include surgical and non-surgical techniques. These treatments restore health to the tissues that support the teeth and prevent tooth loss.
We will thoroughly evaluate your oral health and recommend the most effective treatment based on the severity of gum disease. Our office also uses modern dental lasers to treat gum disease. Lasers provide more accurate results with less bleeding, swelling, and downtime.
Gum disease treatments can include:
- Scaling and Root Planing: We use this deep-cleaning technique for the early stages of gum disease. During scaling, we remove Plaque and calculus (tartar) from beneath the gum tissues with hand scalers and/or ultrasonic instruments. Then, we clean bacteria from the tooth roots. These treatments keep the roots attached and help prevent further gum and bone loss.
- Gum Grafting: During grafting, we place healthy gum tissue in areas of gum loss. Grafting will protect the tooth roots. In some cases, this treatment can reduce inflammation from spreading through the body.
- Periodontal Plastic Surgery: Any reshaping procedure that creates a more pleasing appearance of the gum tissues. This reshaping may remove infected gum tissue.
- Laser Treatment: We can remove diseased gum tissue with lasers, which offer advantages over conventional surgery. Lasers offer less discomfort and gum shrinkage. Dental laser gum therapy also offers minimal bleeding or discomfort.
- Crown Lengthening: During this surgical procedure, a surgeon exposes the tooth structure covered by gum and bone tissue. Patients undergo this treatment for cosmetic reasons (to make the teeth look longer and the smile less gummy) or to aid in securing a new dental crown.
How to Prevent Gum Disease
The best way to prevent gum disease is to brush and floss your teeth every day. This doesn’t mean scrubbing, which can cause gum recession. Instead, gently floss before you brush. Then, brush with a fluoride toothpaste and soft-bristled toothbrush.
Regular dental checkups and cleanings every 3 or 4 or 6 months are also essential to maintain gum health. Our hygienists use instruments and techniques in these cleanings to reach areas that your toothbrush and floss can’t.
Our office can detect early forms of gum disease. First, we will visually evaluate your gingival (gum) tissues. Then, we will examine their attachment levels to the teeth. Dental radiographs (X-ray pictures) can assess the health of your bone.
Gum Disease FAQs
Learn more about gum disease in our Columbia, MD office with answers to these common questions:
Can gum disease go away, or is it permanent?
Gum disease has four levels. You can reverse the first two levels through treatment by our dentist near you. However, you cannot reverse later stages of gum disease. Either way, we highly recommend early treatment because it can prevent further issues.
How long does gum disease take to go away?
Gingivitis, the mildest form of gum disease, can mostly disappear within one to two weeks. It can take longer to treat as cases become more severe. As gum disease advances, it becomes less likely to resolve fully.
You cannot reverse the late stages of gum disease. For this reason, you should go to the dentist to treat your gum problems.
Is gum disease contagious?
Not necessarily, but it can happen. Bacteria cause gum disease and can spread through contact with infected saliva. Most commonly, parents transmit gum disease to children. Romantic partners can also transmit gum disease.
If you think you may have contracted a gum infection, schedule an exam with our dentist.
Can saltwater rinse heal gum infection?
Yes. One of the best ways to heal infected gums is to rinse them with salt water. The best solution is a glass of warm water and 1 teaspoon of salt. The warm water and salt help ease any irritation.
In addition to salt water, brush and floss. Call our dentist for a deep cleaning to help remove the infection.
Treat Your Gums Today
You can also make lifestyle changes to prevent infection. If you eat right, reduce stress, and quit unhealthy habits, you can keep your gums healthy. Help ensure you keep your teeth for a lifetime by calling us at (410) 415-9013. You can also schedule an appointment online today.
If you have any questions about gum disease treamtent, please let us know at your next visit. We will be happy to help.