Smile Renewing Gum Disease Treatments
Millions of US adults suffer from periodontal disease. This oral health concern is often referred to by its common name, gum disease. It occurs when plaque and tartar buildup irritates the soft tissue surrounding the roots of teeth. Over time, gum disease causes the soft tissue volume to decrease and bone density to diminish. When caught in early stages, we’re often able to reverse any damage with more frequent cleanings. Contact us right away if you believe you may be suffering from gum disease, and be sure to maintain your regular checkups where we’ll screen for this common condition.
Scaling & Root Planing
For mild gum disease, we may be able to renew oral health with more frequent professional teeth cleanings and improved at home hygiene. However, when gum disease progresses to the more severe stage, periodontitis, we may need to pair up two more in-depth professional teeth cleaning techniques, scaling and root planing. Scaling is the comprehensive, systematic removal of plaque and tartar at or below the gum line. Root planing is the smoothing of the roots of teeth in order to prevent the future buildup of plaque and tartar that may lead to a recurrence of gum disease. These treatments are comfortable, and they are completed in just one appointment in order to decontaminate the pockets between the gums and teeth. You may experience some mild discomfort for the first few days following scaling and root planing, but any excessive bleeding or pain should be reported to our team right away.
Antibiotic Therapy
In addition to more frequent teeth cleanings and/or scaling and root planing, oral or topical antibiotics may be prescribed. Plaque and tartar buildup that irritates the soft tissue is created by bacteria that live in the mouth. To reduce the amount of plaque and tartar, limiting the numbers of oral bacteria may be beneficial. Antibiotic therapy performs this function for our patients. We can apply a topical solution directly following scaling and root planing or other deep cleaning, or we could prescribe an oral antibiotic medication for you to take leading up to your appointment.