With all of the emphasis on how teeth look in pictures and on social media, it is easy to overlook the health of the gums. After all, you can’t usually tell if someone has gum disease simply by looking at their smile.
Periodontal disease typically develops due to inadequate oral hygiene. Hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and menopause can also cause gum disease. So, even if you take excellent care of your teeth and gums, factors such as stress, certain medications and pregnancy can make it more difficult to keep your gums healthy.
Signs of gum disease include:
- Red or irritated gums
- Bad breath
- Gum recession
- Bleeding when brushing or flossing
- Sensitive gums
- Pus at the gumline
- Mobile teeth
Our dentists will never make you feel guilty or judged, even if you have missed a few dental appointments. We can help you get healthy again.
Whole Body Health
Recent research, however, is an excellent reminder that the health of gums is an essential aspect of your oral health and overall health.
Research links periodontal disease with complications in nearly every system in the body.
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Low birthweight babies
- Certain types of cancer
- Rheumatoid arthritis
Not to mention that periodontal disease undermines your oral health by causing bad breath, tooth loss and bone loss, destabilising the very foundation of your teeth.
Diagnosing Periodontal Disease
As part of our comprehensive approach to dentistry at Oasis Smiles Dental, we include a periodontal evaluation with every dental clean. Using a small instrument, we measure the pockets between teeth and gums, which can house bacteria and infection.
Bleeding points also indicate the presence of infection. We will let you know right away if there are certain areas of your mouth that you might be missing when you brush and floss your teeth.
Digital dental x-rays will also reveal signs of tartar between the teeth and below the gums, as well as identify any advanced periodontal disease resulting in bone loss.
Periodontal Treatment
When we detect gum disease early, treatment usually includes a customised dental cleaning, or series of dental cleanings, to promote healing. Sometimes called scaling and root planing, or a deep cleaning, we will remove tartar from teeth and below the gumline to reduce inflammation.
When advanced gum disease threatens your health, we can treat periodontitis with laser dentistry, a much less invasive option than traditional soft tissue surgery.
By removing diseased tissue and eliminating bacteria with a dental laser, your gums will have a better opportunity to heal. Laser periodontal treatment is more comfortable for our patients, has less bleeding and heals more quickly.
Don’t Wait Until it’s Too Late
When left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Our gentle dental cleanings and focus on patient comfort will make it easy for you to regain your oral health and improve your overall health.
Contact our North Tamworth dental surgery for a gum disease evaluation and personalised treatment.
