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> Patient's Role in Treatment

So much time is spent talking about the health of teeth that quite often the health of the gums is overlooked. Gums are just as integral to the health of your mouth as your teeth are, in fact, without them your teeth wouldn’t stand much of a chance of being healthy. Did you know that by the age of 45, almost 80 percent of Americans will have experienced some form of periodontal disease throughout their life? It’s true. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is a bacterial infection of the gums that destroys the gums and surrounding structures that support your teeth.

How Periodontal Disease Works

Periodontal disease sounds complicated, but really the concept is one you are already pretty familiar with. Think about how tooth decay works – bad bacteria in the form of plaque and tartar build up on teeth that don’t receive enough oral hygiene maintenance. When you don’t brush and floss regularly, plaque builds up and eventually starts to eat away at the enamel of your teeth. This is how tooth decay works. Periodontal disease works in basically the same way. As you allow plaque and tartar to build up on your teeth, it affects your gums negatively, infecting them.

Eventually, bacterial build up will start to occur below the gum line, which irritates and infects the gums. This plaque and tartar buildup below that gum line is a serious issue because it’s not something that you can really clean. Your brush isn’t designed to get below the gums, so the bacterial buildup is free to continue to perpetuate itself.

The Stages of Gum Disease

There are two stages of periodontal disease – early stage, known as gingivitis, and late stage, known as periodontal disease. As with all dental issues it’s best to catch gum disease in the early stage. With gum disease it’s even more important that we catch it in the early stage because of the fact that gingivitis can be cured. If the malady has a chance to progress into periodontal disease it will be something that you will have to live with for the rest of your life.

Telltale Signs of Gum Disease

It can be hard to know if you have gum disease as it’s not common for it to cause discomfort in patient’s. Instead things you should be looking out for include:

•	Swollen gums
•	Irritated gums
•	Bleeding gums
•	Loose teeth
•	Bad breath
•	Receding gum line
•	Pus in gums
•	A change in your bite
•	Mouth sores that do not heal within two weeks

How We Treat It

When you have bacterial buildup below the gum line we can perform what is known as root planing and scaling. In this procedure we use a set of special instruments to carefully remove all the caked on plaque and tartar below your gums. We irrigate the area to wash away all bacterial buildup and ensure the roots of your teeth are clean and healthy. This is an important thing to have done because when buildup is allowed to accumulate below the gum line, it often leads to food and particulate matter getting under the gums, which further irritates them.

The Best Way to Prevent Gum Disease

The best way to ensure that you aren’t saddled with gum disease is to stay on top of your brushing and flossing. By brushing after meals and flossing at least once a day you are doing a bunch to ensure your gums stay happy and healthy. It’s also a good idea to come into our office at least twice a year for a routine cleaning and examination.