Gum Disease Treatment Options
Posted on: 13 January 2023
Gum disease arises when your gums are infected. The tell-tale signs of gum disease include tooth and gum sensitivity and bleeding gums. One of the leading causes of gum disease is poor oral hygiene. Other factors contributing to gum disease are injury to the gums, genetics, bite alignment, and age. When you visit a dentist, they may perform any of the following procedures to address gum disease.
Antibiotic Treatment
For mild gum disease, your dentist will advise you to observe proper oral hygiene. They will instruct you on how to brush and floss. Additionally, they will advise you on how to use dental floss, interdental brushes, and mouthwash correctly. However, your dentist will prescribe antibiotics if regular oral hygiene doesn't treat gum infections.
Professional Cleaning
When a dentist performs a professional cleaning, they will remove bacterial deposits from your teeth. The dentist will also polish your teeth and treat them with fluoride. A professional cleaning may also involve cleaning your gum pockets. A single appointment for professional teeth cleaning may not be enough. You might have to visit the dentist several times if you have advanced periodontitis.
Scaling and Root Planing
This is another form of cleaning that involves eliminating plaque from the gum line. The scraping away of plaque and tartar is called scaling, while the smoothing of rough patches on the tooth root is called planing. Smoothing provides a clean surface for gums to reattach to your teeth. This procedure is recommended to remove plaque and tartar from under your gums.
Tissue Regeneration
If your jawbone is damaged, your dentist will prescribe tissue regeneration. This involves grafting material into the jaw and gums to facilitate regrowth. Sometimes, the dentist uses soft tissue grafts to reinforce thin gums. This procedure fills in spaces in your gums where tissue has receded. The dentist will insert a membrane during the tissue regeneration procedure to promote bone regeneration.
Flap Surgery
This surgical procedure involves lifting the gums to access the tartar underneath. In some procedures, the dentist will smoothen irregular surfaces of the damaged jawbone to eliminate the hiding places for bacteria.
After removing the tartar, the gums are placed back such that the tissue fits around the tooth. Flap surgery minimizes the space between the gum and tooth, thereby limiting the areas where bacteria can thrive. This reduces the chance of patients developing health problems because of periodontal disease.
Oral hygiene may not be enough to address gum infection; sometimes, a dentist's intervention is crucial. If gum disease isn't treated, it could result in tooth extraction. Make sure you consult a dentist if you notice any signs of gum infection.
For more information, contact a local dental office, like Rabel Family Dentistry.
Share