Gum Treatment in Stratford

At Lighthouse Dental Care, we understand that healthy gums provide the best foundation for healthy teeth. Just as the bacteria in your mouth can erode the enamel and cause cavities, the bacteria can also attack the ligaments and bone holding your teeth in place under the gum line.

Many people are surprised to learn that the first stage of gum disease is gingivitis. That’s the only stage that is reversible. Once it advances, gum disease becomes a chronic illness similar to diabetes. It can be managed, but not reversed. If left untreated, gum disease can eventually lead to tooth loss because the tissue and bone around the tooth is not healthy enough to keep the tooth in place.

If you are diagnosed with gum disease, you’re in good company. Half of Americans over the age of 30 have some form of chronic periodontal disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our dental team in Stratford will help you get your gums back on track.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is the formal name for gum infection. Perio comes from the Greek word for “around” and dontal comes from the Greek term for “tooth.” There are several stages of gum disease. The earliest stage is gingivitis, which can be cured. Later stages may be called chronic periodontitis or advanced periodontal disease.

Here are some of the factors that often lead to periodontal disease:

Poor dental hygiene
Poor tooth alignment
Poor nutrition
Smoking
Aging
Genetic predisposition
Pregnancy
Stress
Systemic diseases such as diabetes have also been linked

How Do I Know If I Have Periodontal Disease?

Many people have periodontal disease and don’t even know it. It frequently starts as a “silent” infection. It’s only as it becomes worse that you may notice symptoms such as:

Red or puffy gums
Bleeding when you brush or floss
Gum recession / tooth roots start to show
Bad breath
Bad taste in the mouth
Loose teeth
Pus around the teeth

If you have any of these signs of gum disease, call Lighthouse Dental Care today at (203) 742-1027.

How Does Lighthouse Dental Care Treat Periodontal Disease?

The best way to stop periodontal disease is to have professional teeth cleanings at your dental office every six months. Only a dentist or hygienist can remove the problem-causing plaque and tartar from between the teeth and other hard-to-reach places.

This type of healthy-mouth cleaning is called a prophylaxis and it’s the kind most dental insurance plans cover. Many people don’t realize that a prophylaxis, only polishes the tooth above the gum line. To treat bacteria below the gum line, our hygienist in Stratford will use a process called scaling and root planing to remove bacteria from under the gum line and attached to the tooth root. If needed, our dentist can also prescribe an antibiotic to treat the gum infection.

Depending on the severity of the infection, you may require more frequent teeth cleanings and periodontal maintenance to keep the gum disease from advancing. Gum disease is a systemic disease; it’s only reversible when it’s caught in the gingivitis stage.

If the bone supporting your teeth has been destroyed due to periodontal disease, our dentist or a specialist called a periodontist may recommend a regenerative procedure like a bone graft, tissue graft, or tissue-stimulating proteins to regenerate bone and tissue.

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