Non-Surgical Gum Disease Treatment

Gum Disease

What is gum disease?

Periodontal disease is also known as gum disease or periodontitis. This is a serious condition that involves an infection of the gum tissues resulting from the bacteria found in dental plaque. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to bone and tooth loss, and the disease has been found to have connections to other conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and strokes.

What causes periodontal disease?

Gum disease is often the result of improper or insufficient oral hygiene that fails to remove bacteria from below the gum line. This is why it’s important to brush and floss using the proper technique.

There are other factors that can determine whether or not you are likely to get gum disease as well. These include things like your body’s metabolism, and the changes in hormones during puberty or pregnancy. As the saliva in your mouth can help protect you against gum disease, certain medical conditions or medications that cause dry mouth can also influence your likelihood of getting gum disease.

Gum disease isn’t just a threat to your teeth. Your oral health has significant ties to the overall well-being of your body, which is why periodontal disease shouldn’t be ignored.

There are early signs that may help you spot gum disease while it’s still in the early gingivitis phase, and Dr. Kinn will be able to diagnose the disease during an exam and recommend treatment.

Gum Disease Treatment

For those diagnosed with early stages of periodontal disease, scaling and root planing is a non-surgical, minimally-invasive, and cost-effective treatment that can help get the disease under control.

Gum disease is the result of bacterial plaque hardening on the surface of teeth and releasing toxins that break down the tissues holding the gums, bones, and teeth together. Scaling and root planing, also sometimes referred to as a deep cleaning, involves removing this plaque from the surfaces of the roots of the teeth and making it more difficult for the plaque to form in the future.

What does scaling and root planing involve?

This is a procedure that is recommended for those who have gum pockets that are greater than 5mm deep. Your hygienist or dentist will first use a numbing agent to ensure you have minimal discomfort during the deep cleaning procedure. Various instruments such as a scaler or ultrasonic cleaner will then be used to clear away tartar and plaque from the surfaces of your teeth, down into the bottom of each periodontal pocket. Following this, the planning process will smooth the surfaces of the tooth roots which makes it harder for plaque to form again. Additionally, this will help the gum tissue to heal and reattach to the roots.

Antimicrobial or antibiotic medications may also be administered in the periodontal pockets to help control infection.

After your treatment, follow-up appointments will be necessary to monitor the healing of your gums and ensure the gum pockets are reducing in size. You may also be required to have regular periodontal maintenance appointments to help keep the areas clear of tartar and plaque and prevent gum recession from recurring.