Fearful of Periodontal Treatment: Get Gum Disease Treatment Early

Gum disease is a common condition affecting nearly 70 percent of adults in America. Gum disease treatment is readily available from dentists if people visit them for regular cleanings and exams besides maintaining proper oral hygiene. If availed in the early stages, gum disease is entirely preventable and can also be reversed before it advances to periodontitis.

If you fear periodontal treatment, you must ensure you don’t fall prey to gum disease, which can affect you painlessly merely by inflaming your gums along the gum line. In the earliest stages of gum disease gingivitis, you don’t experience any loss in structures holding your teeth in place. If you maintain proper oral hygiene at home, you can stop gingivitis and restore healthy gums.

You require periodontal treatment only when you allow gingivitis to progress to periodontitis. After the inflammation causes bone loss, the damage is irreparable. Periodontitis requires more than proper dental hygiene at home. The condition needs professional attention from a dentist or a periodontist.

What Causes Periodontitis?

Built-up bacteria from dental plaque are the leading cause of periodontitis. Your mouth has approximately 700 different species of bacteria, most of which are harmless. However, when you don’t clean your teeth thoroughly or visit the dentist near you for exams and cleanings, you allow bacterial deposits to accumulate near the gum line forming plaque. The plaque creates an environment in your mouth, allowing harmful bacteria to flourish. The harmful bacteria compromise your body’s natural defenses.

When you leave bacterial plaque on your teeth without brushing correctly, the bacteria deposit minerals on the tooth to harden the plaque into tartar. The presence of tartar encourages bacterial plaque to grow towards the roots of the tooth. The development leads to weakening the attachment of the roots and gum to form periodontal pockets between your teeth and gums. Periodontal pockets are ideal places for harmful bacteria to accumulate and multiply, allowing the disease to progress and release toxins triggering the body’s defense mechanisms.

What Are the Adverse Consequences of Periodontal Disease?

When you allow gingivitis to progress to periodontitis, the supporting structures of your teeth, including the surrounding bone, are destroyed. Your teeth loosen and are either lost or need extractions.

You may experience problems with eating because the structures holding your teeth in place are weak. You may decide to adapt and switch your chewing habits to the teeth that are still useful. However, if you don’t seek periodontal treatment from the Sanger dentist, you begin to lose teeth and are left with eating soft foods.

You may also experience problems when speaking because of loose teeth in your mouth from periodontal disease. You may develop gaps between your front teeth in the upper jaw that give rise to problems when speaking.

Your appearance is also undoubtedly affected because the receding gums and roots become visible, making you look unattractive. You may also have bad breath and experience adverse effects on your overall health. The bacteria from untreated periodontal disease enter the bloodstream, making you susceptible to the increased risk of suffering from diabetes, heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and complications during pregnancy, and other issues.

How to Prevent the Need for Requiring Periodontal Treatment?

Gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis are entirely preventable and merely require looking after your teeth and gums appropriately. You must adopt acceptable oral hygiene practices and get regular professional dental checkups at least once a year, if not every six months.

You can follow the basic features of acceptable oral hygiene practices as mentioned below:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day for a minimum of two minutes each using a manual or electric toothbrush.
• Clean between your teeth at least once a day with interdental toothbrushes and dental floss if you have any gaps between your teeth. You must use different-sized brushes for different gaps between your teeth. Interdental cleaning is better performed before brushing.
• Using an antiseptic mouthwash helps to prevent plaque development for approximately 12 hours. You can inquire with your dentist whether you can use a mouthwash and which one is best suited for your needs.
• If you have crooked or crowded teeth, special care is needed to clean thoroughly around them. Dental plaque builds up on fillings, crowns, and dentures that are challenging to access.

Optimal dental care can vary between patients. Therefore you must consult with your dentist about the best techniques you can use for your specific situation. Your dentist can recommend oral hygiene products and brushing techniques helpful for preventing gingivitis or periodontitis from affecting you. If you allow the progress of gingivitis and require periodontal treatment must understand periodontitis has no cure, and you continue treating yourself with intensive therapy for as long as you live.

Accepting All Major Insurances