Are You Dealing With Gingivitis, Or Periodontal Disease?

The progression of gum disease affects how you can be treated, and what kind of symptoms you can experience. Gingivitis is the first stage of a periodontal infection. When bacteria begin to infiltrate your gums, there are symptoms like sensitivity to bleeding, swelling, and chronic bad breath that you can experience. If an infection worsens, it becomes difficult to manage, and it can cause more significant problems. You will be at risk for tooth loss, and you can become vulnerable to other health conditions as bacteria move to different parts of your body. At our Encinitas/San Diego, CA periodontal practice, we can provide a diagnostic review to determine just how serious your condition might be. Once this is done, we can talk to you about how your infection has progressed, and what should be done to manage it.

Advanced Periodontal Disease Can Have Serious Consequences

Periodontal disease, also known as periodontitis, can have long-term consequences you should know about. When harmful microbes move from your gums to other areas through your bloodstream, they can create new health issues. Among other concerns, you will have to worry about the potential impact of your infection on your heart health! You also need to be concerned with the way periodontal disease can impact your smile. The bacteria that accumulate will destroy the bone and soft tissues that hold teeth. Over time, that destruction will weaken their support, which can lead to losses that hurt your appearance and bite function.

Diagnosing Your Periodontal Troubles

Thanks to the digital imaging technology at our practice, Dr. Kania can perform a detailed review of your gums to see what troubles might be affecting you. We can determine how your condition has progressed, and see what kind of treatment might be right for you. If you respond to early signs of poor periodontal health in time, you can receive feedback and treatment before gingivitis progresses to periodontal disease, which limits the work needed to help you.

What Can I Do To Manage My Periodontal Problems?

If there is still time, we can recommend a scaling and root planing to remove bacteria before you develop periodontitis. This treatment cleans out the bacteria that are gathering beneath your gums and causing problems with your health. If you are already dealing with the effects of periodontitis, we can suggest procedures that help fight bacteria as well as the destruction of tissues. With laser periodontal treatment, we can remove bacteria while also removing damaged soft tissues so that healthy tissues can grow to replace them. We also provide treatments like ozone therapy, which directly target the bacteria hurting your oral health while leaving beneficial microbes alone.

Schedule An Evaluation With Your Encinitas/San Diego, CA Periodontist

Dr. Kania is prepared to help you determine what kind of problems you are currently experiencing because of gum disease, and she can recommend treatment options to help protect you from the effects of your condition. To find out more about how a visit can help, call our periodontal office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.