Most people in America will suffer from some form of gum disease at some point in their lives. Gum disease is an infection caused by the the build up of bacteria around the gum line that damages the connective tissue. While gum disease can be extremely serious and seeking treatment as soon as possible is key to protecting your oral health, there are actually various stages of gum disease. Dr. Huff can help assess the condition of your gums and design a treatment plan to help restore your oral health, protecting your teeth and gums for years to come.
Signs Of Gum Disease:
Catching gum disease early can help reverse the damage and prevent it from causing long-term harm to your smile. Dr. Huff can help make sure that your smile is strong and healthy by providing cleanings and instructions on how to restore your oral health. Some of the signs of infection to look out for include:
- Gums that are red, puffy or swollen, or tender
- Gums that bleed during brushing or flossing
- Teeth that look longer because your gums have receded
- Gums that have separated, or pulled away, from your teeth, creating a pocket
- Changes in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- Pus coming from between your teeth and gums
- Constant bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease is caused by bacteria that cause inflammation and infection in your gums. This can cause them to bleed or become red while brushing or flossing. If left untreated this disease can progress, causing serious long-term damage to your smile, requiring invasive treatments to help stop the disease and restore your oral health.
Gingivitis: The earliest stage of gum disease is called gingivitis and if caught in time is easily treatable. During this stage, you might notice your gums becoming puffy or bleeding while brushing or flossing, but the damage can be reversed. Seeking a professional cleaning, Dr. Huff will deep clean under the gum line and remove tartar build up to give you a clean slate to start a good oral hygiene routine. Keeping up with brushing and flossing daily will help restore your health and prevent further damage to your gums or teeth. Our Kerrville dentist may also prescribe an antibacterial mouthwash to help prevent bacteria from coming back.
Periodontitis: During this stage, gum disease is no longer reservable, however, it can be stopped. As the bacteria affects the bone tissue, your gums will form pockets trapping food debris, plaque and bacteria, causing further damage. Dr. Huff can provide a treatment called Scaling and Root Planing to help clean above and below the gum line to help remove plaque and bacteria causing the infection. Regular cleanings from your dentist as well as maintaining a great at home oral hygiene routine will help stop gum disease from progressing further.
Advanced Periodontitis: At this stage of gum disease, the infection has attacked the bone tissue causing them to no longer be a strong support for your teeth. Your teeth may be loose or even fall out. If aggressive treatment isn’t successful, Dr, Huff may recommend extracting your teeth and placing a prosthetic to help protect the vulnerable gum tissue to help prevent further damage to your smile.
Contact Precision Dentistry And Implants Today
Don’t let your gum disease go untreated and cause permanent damage to your smile. Dr. Huff and the team at Precision Dentistry and Implants can help treat all the stages of gum disease and help keep it from advancing and causing tooth loss. Contact our Kerrville dentist for gum disease treatment today!