When you have gingivitis, you need treatment to ensure your inflammation doesn’t become periodontal disease, threatening your smile stability. Which is why we need treatment at the first signs of poor gum health. In today’s blog, your Brooklyn, NY, periodontist and implant expert talks about gum disease prevention.
The Causes and Warning Signs
How does a smile develop periodontal disease? The issue starts when the gums become inflamed, which can happen due to factors like poor brushing and flossing habits, a diet high in sugar and starch, and infrequent visits for checkups and cleanings. Tobacco use and a diet high in sugar and starch could also contribute. The gums then become inflamed, also known as gingivitis. At this stage, treatment could reverse the inflammation. But if care is not received, then the gums could pull away from the teeth and form pockets for disease-causing bacteria to enter. At this stage, gum disease occurs and cannot be cured. But treatment can manage it so you avoid the onset of periodontitis, the advanced stage linked to tooth loss.
Preventive Actions
What can be done to avoid the issue, even if gingivitis has already formed? Our team could conduct a deep cleaning, also known as a scaling and root planing, to remove harmful buildup from the teeth and roots. This helps reverse gingivitis and could make the later stages of gum disease manageable with routine care every few months, such as a cleaning or Supportive Periodontal Maintenance. You could also help at home by brushing and flossing each day, cutting excessive sugar and starch out of your diet, and avoiding tobacco products.
Laser Treatment
If we find periodontal disease is in a more advanced stage, then our team could offer care with dental lasers. Using this advanced technology, we will gently trim away the diseased portions of the gums from the smile, so that healthy tissues can attach to the teeth. We then manage it with routine preventive care every few months, so you avoid tooth loss. Lasers offer care with precision, rarely require anesthesia, and allow the area to heal faster. Treatment takes one visit, and you avoid the onset of swelling, infection, or bleeding.
If you have any questions about how periodontal disease forms and when you need to see our team for treatment, then contact our office today to learn more! We want to help you enjoy a complete smile and health gums, so be sure to reach out soon.
Schedule an Appointment with the Team at Brooklyn Periodontics
We want to provide care to keep periodontal disease at bay. To find out more about managing your gum health or to schedule a consultation, please call Brooklyn Periodontics & Implantology in Brooklyn, NY at (718) 444-3800 today.
