Periodontal Disease
Wilmington, DE
 If you do not brush or floss regularly, then you can contract periodontal disease. When plaque builds up on your teeth, it can harden into tartar that can only be removed by a dentist. If the tartar keeps building up, then the bacteria can infect your gums and lead to periodontal disease.
If periodontal disease is left unchecked, then it can lead to bleeding gums, loose teeth, and even pain while chewing. If you suspect that periodontal disease is infecting your mouth, the dentists at Delaware Periodontics can help you figure out how to fix your mouth.
Causes of Periodontal Disease
The reason your gums can become irritated goes back to plaque. Plaque is the collection of bacteria that builds up on your teeth as you eat and drink. Brushing and flossing tend to scrape plaque off your teeth before it hardens into tartar.
Having too much build up on your teeth leads to inflammation and bleeding gums. If you are susceptible to periodontal disease then this will progress to true periodontal disease.
The first stage of gum disease is gingivitis. Gingivitis simply causes your gums to start to swell up and become swollen. Your gums might look red and will bleed easily whenever you brush or floss. If blood is coming out of your mouth, that is another symptom of periodontal disease.
If gingivitis is not caught and reversed with proper teeth cleaning, then it can advance to other stages of periodontal disease. The disease causes a loss of bone which allows the bacteria to grow down on to the root surface and leads to chronic infection. This is because neither you nor the dentist can clean down this far. Chronic infection then allows the bacteria to enter the bloodstream and causes more serious problems.
It is only in the first stage where periodontal disease is reversible. Proper tooth and gum care can keep plaque from hardening enough to become a problem. If you have a deeper stage of the infection, then the focus shifts to controlling the infection and stopping it from destroying more of your mouth.
Treatment of the disease is case specific. Our doctors will determine what is the most appropriate treatment for your condition. Regardless of the treatment, proper maintenance will be needed after the treatment in order to prevent the disease from reoccurring.
Sometimes periodontal disease is overlooked by people suffering from it, especially if all they have to deal with is a little gingivitis. How bad are bleeding gums or a little inflammation? Well, when the periodontal disease gets to be too severe, there are several consequences for your mouth.
Your mouth is one of the first entry points that bacteria have into your body. Bacteria enters your mouth when you eat, kiss, breathe and brush your teeth. While most of the bacteria are harmless and some of them are helpful, some of it can also be bad.
The health of your mouth, as well as the bacteria inside of it, can affect how healthy your body is as a whole. The mouth is the entry point for a lot of bacteria and a whole lot of diseases too.
At Delaware Periodontics, Dr. Klassman provides quality implants, laser gum treatment, and periodontal care to patients, but treatment is only part of a healthy beautiful smile.
We use the latest technology to help you put your best smile forward, but good oral hygiene is the key to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Using the correct brushing and flossing technique in your regular regimen is crucial to maintaining a healthy mouth.
Whenever periodontal disease becomes too advanced for non-surgical procedures to heal without trouble, then we will have to take a look at surgical treatment. For more advanced stages of gum disease, you need surgical treatment to prevent the spread of gum disease and the problems it can cause your health.
Our dentists at Delaware Periodontics can offer several surgical treatment options for your gum disease. We will be able to prevent the spread of your gum disease, and you will get your mouth health back!
If you have gingivitis or the second stage of gum disease, then there is hope for you. The dentists at Delaware Periodontics can offer you several non-surgical treatments that will prevent the problems of gum disease. These treatments are non-invasive and can make sure your mouth is kept safe from both gum disease, and the bigger problems gum disease causes.
Smoking and Periodontal Disease
One other factor that can increase the risk of getting periodontal disease is smoking. It has been well documented by the CDC that smoking weakens your immune system. A weakened immune system does not fight off problems to the body as well, and this prevents a gum infection from being stopped. Once the damage to the gums is done, then smoking can slow down the healing process. If you smoke, that is one of the first things we will ask you to quit if you have gum disease.
If you suspect you have a stage of gum disease, seeing a dentist can help you get all your questions answered. To set up an appointment, call Delaware Periodontics at 302-551-3553 today. |
