Gum Disease

Periodontitis, or gum disease, is a severe gum infection that harms the soft tissue. This disease can destroy the bone that supports your teeth if left untreated. Periodontitis leads to tooth loss or loose teeth.

Although periodontitis is common, it is preventable. The disease is often the result of poor oral hygiene. Floss daily, brush twice a day, and schedule regular dental checkups with a professional Edgewater dentist to improve the chances of successful treatment for periodontitis. Since gum disease is usually silent, the symptoms surface at the advanced stages. But here are some of the signs of periodontitis.

Common Symptoms of Periodontitis

  • Changes in your partial denture fittings
  • Biting problems
  • Bleeding while eating hard food or brushing
  • Receding gums, causing teeth to appear longer than before
  • Separating or loose teeth
  • Bad breath
  • Pus between your teeth and gums
  • Tender, swollen, or red gums causing pain
  • Frequent sores in the mouth

Types of Gum Diseases

Gingivitis

Most people will have gingivitis at some point in their life which is the earliest stage of gum disease. Common symptoms of gingivitis include bleeding with brushing, gum soreness, redness, mild pain, and minor swelling. You can reverse gingivitis with treatment. However, don’t overlook any symptoms because they can worsen over time and lead to more severe periodontitis. Contact the best Orange City dentist to schedule an inspection appointment.

Mild Periodontitis

If you don’t treat gingivitis on time, it can lead to mild periodontitis. During this stage, the gums pull away from the teeth and cause the crevice between the gums and teeth to deepen. It also causes loss of bone around the teeth. Therefore, you need prompt dental care to prevent gum damage and bone erosion.

Moderate to Advanced Periodontitis

There is significant bone loss during this stage. The periodontal pockets deepen significantly, and receding gums surround the teeth. Your dentist may need to extract loose teeth to treat biting and chewing issues.

Periodontitis vs. Gingivitis

Most people still don’t know that gingivitis occurs before periodontitis. Periodontitis refers to the inflammation of the gums. On the other hand, periodontitis is the destruction of bone or tissues, sometimes both.

Gingivitis

Almost 90% of adults have gingivitis. That’s when bacterial plaque accumulates on the tooth’s surface.

Symptoms of Gingivitis

  • inflamed and red gums
  • bleeding during brushing
  • loose teeth
  • periodontitis

Signs of Periodontitis

  • the bone and gum pull away from the teeth and form pockets at the tooth’s base
  • debris accumulates in the gaps between the teeth and gums, which can infect the area
  • periodontitis can cause damage, such as tooth loss.

When Should you Contact a South Daytona dentist?

Look for a professional dentist in South Daytona if you are experiencing the following symptoms.

  • bleeding gums when biting into hard foods
  • red, sore, or swollen gums
  • loose teeth
  • bad breath
  • red patches or ulcers in the mouth
  • a lump on the lip or in the mouth

All these symptoms indicate a need for further investigation or urgent treatment to rule out other causes, such as an abscess or mouth cancer.

Causes of Gum Diseases

Like many other conditions affecting oral health, plaque and bacteria buildup are the biggest causes of gum diseases. Primarily, plaque buildup is the most significant cause of gum disease. Other common causes include:

  • Malnutrition
  • Systemic or autoimmune diseases
  • Autoimmune or systemic diseases
  • Bruxism (involuntary or habitual grinding/clenching of the teeth)
  • Diabetes
  • Certain medications
  • Genetics
  • Alcohol consumption
  • Lifestyle choices
  • Use of smokeless tobacco
  • Smoking

Treatment of Gum Diseases

Regular Appointments with Your Dentist

Dental treatment can prevent further damage to the tissue and bone, as a dentist can clean out bacteria from the pockets around the teeth. If you are looking for a Titusville dentist who can clean your teeth and treat gum issues, you can contact Universal Smiles Dentistry. We have a team of expert and professional dentists who can offer the best dental advice for your teeth.

Take Care of your Gums and Teeth

Apart from dental treatments, you can maintain good oral hygiene to reduce periodontitis risks. Here are a few things you can do to improve your oral health.

  • Use soft picks or interdental brushes once a day
  • Brush teeth twice a day
  • Floss regularly
  • Limit tobacco use
  • Restrict alcohol consumption
  • Limit sugar intake
  • Seek medical treatment for dry mouth
  • Treat mouth problems

Scaling and Cleaning

Your dentist can remove plaque and calculus to restore your dental health. How often you need treatment depends on how much tartar and plaque you have in your mouth.

These procedures involve:

  • cleaning the buildup of plaque
  • polishing rough areas around the edges
  • fluoride treatments

Medications

Many medicated toothpastes, mouthwashes, and treatments are available that you can use at home. Note that these treatments may not always guarantee 100% results.

Some of these include:

  • antibiotic gels
  • compounds made of minocycline hydrochloride microspheres which a dentist uses for inserting in the pockets to reduce plaque buildup
  • oral antibiotics
  • products to clean and disinfect your mouth - usually, these contain an antimicrobial compound

Dental Surgery

In some cases, your dentist may recommend dental surgery to remove bacteria on the roots and eliminate plaque bacteria in pockets. Dentists may also use regenerative treatments for restoring bone and gum tissue. They perform all these procedures under local anesthetic. After the surgery, they close all the gums with stitches.

Perio Protect

This new at-home treatment involves using custom-fit trays to deliver medication directly to the gums. The medication attacks the pathogens that lead to gum disease. This treatment method offers quick and long-term results.

Crown Lengthening

This treatment option is excellent for an individual with a ‘gummy’ smile. Usually, teeth aren’t just short in these cases, but there is excess gum tissue that hides the rest of the tooth.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Gum disease may affect your mouth’s health and appearance. As a result, you may need to visit a cosmetic dentist to restore your smile or teeth. Cosmetic surgery can restore the appearance of gums, tissues, and teeth by performing gum contouring. Therefore, you can seek cosmetic dentistry solutions after getting treatment for gum diseases.

Diagnosis

Here are the possible ways your Edgewater dentist will diagnose your condition:

  • conducting a physical examination of your teeth
  • inserting a periodontal probe under the gum line or next to the tooth to measure any developing pockets
  • ordering x-rays to assess the jawbone and teeth

The key to a beautiful smile is regular dental visits and a dentist and staff you can rely on. At Universal Smiles Dentistry, we use general and preventative dentistry to help every patient achieve the smile of their dreams. In addition, our professional services in Orange City & Edgewater are available to new patients. Universal Smiles Dentistry is one of the oldest and most reputable dental offices in the Central Florida region. Here, you get treatment from some of the most experienced and knowledgeable oral health professionals in Central Florida.

The goal is to offer patients customized treatment options for every family member. Our local offices in Edgewater, Orange City, South Daytona, and Titusville offer premium-quality care and treatment to people of all ages. Get in touch with us, and our team will happily schedule an appointment.