Patient Services

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is insidious but treatable. These pervasive infections generally cause redness, swelling, and bleeding of the gums but may not cause pain in early stages. In some cases, gum disease causes exposure of tooth roots, which can lead to discomfort and sensitivity. Ultimately, gum infections can escalate to periodontal disease, and you can lose one or more teeth if you do not seek proper treatment. Recent studies show that periodontal disease is linked to the entire body contributing to the risk of stroke and heart attack, and it causes complications for diabetics and pregnant women.

Regular visits with one of our hygienists will detect gum infections and periodontal disease at the earliest stages to minimize destruction of the bone and gum tissues. While adequate oral hygiene, such as brushing and flossing, helps with bad breath and plaque buildup it does not prevent gum disease. Periodontal (gum) disease is your body’s response to the normal bacteria in your mouth which is the reason medications may be necessary to treat periodontal disease in conjunction with periodontal therapy. Maintenance of periodontal disease is a lifelong commitment and is only controlled through periodic dental visits.

We treat gum disease with consecutive visits of scaling and root planning using an ultrasonic instrument line. This procedure removes plaque from the exposed root’s surface, bacteria and tartar from below the gum. Throughout your periodontal therapy home care is emphasized and we have tremendous changes in our patients that are committed to health by using the Sonicare electric toothbrush. We extend the courtesy of our professional discount to our patients when purchasing the Sonicare through our home care program. Advanced cases may require a referral to a periodontist ultrasonic instrument.

For more information about periodontal disease, refer to www.perio.org.

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