Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is one of the most common oral health issues that adults experience (second only to tooth decay). In fact, it affects more than 70 percent of adults to some degree, and more people lose teeth to the disease than to any other oral health condition. However, despite its prevalence, gum disease is also one of the most preventable conditions. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we offer a number of preventive treatments designed to help you avoid the development of gum disease, or to prevent it from causing serious trouble if it already has. (more…)
Can Platelet-Rich Therapy Boost Your Periodontal Health?
The goal of holistic periodontal treatment isn’t just to fight periodontal (gum) disease, but to do so in a way that optimizes your oral and periodontal health. For example, in addition to scaling and root planing to remove harmful bacteria from underneath your gums, you may also benefit from one or more minimally invasive treatments to help ensure that your gums heal and recover properly. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, one of the more holistic treatments we offer is platelet-rich therapy (plasma and fibrin), which utilizes your body’s natural healing factor to promote healthier and more secure gum tissues. (more…)
Should Ozone Be Part of Your Periodontal Maintenance?
The biggest factors that drive the development of periodontal disease are harmful oral bacteria, which is why targeting these microbes is one of the most important factors in treating it. For example, scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) actively removes the biofilms (plaque and tartar) that form on your teeth roots. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we also offer a number of holistic treatment options for keeping gum disease under control, including ozone therapy that neutralizes harmful bacteria, which are largely anaerobic. (more…)
Important Points About Scaling and Root Planing
Professional cleaning is an important part of your routine oral health care. Typically, it involves carefully cleaning away the plaque and tartar that have developed on the crowns of your teeth. Sometimes, though, harmful oral bacteria can form plaque and tartar on the roots of your teeth, which rest underneath your gums rather than above them. Left untreated, this buildup can become the foundation of gum disease. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we can help reduce the chances of gum disease or treat it in its earliest stage – gingivitis – by performing a more comprehensive periodontal cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing. (more…)
Before You Qualify for Dental Implants
For many patients who lose teeth these days, the effects of their tooth loss don’t have as much of an impact on their quality of life as it used to. That’s largely thanks to innovative benefits of modern dental implants, which provide lifelike support for your replacement teeth in addition to restoring the functions of lost teeth roots. By replacing lost teeth with one or more implant posts, you can enjoy a sturdier and more comfortable prosthesis while improving your ability to preserve the rest of your smile for life. However, before recommending them, we’ll perform a comprehensive exam at our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office to ensure that you qualify for dental implants. (more…)
Why Do Gums Bleed from Gingivitis?
Bleeding gums are among the few highly definitive signs of gingivitis – the first stage of gum disease. Others, such as redness in your gums or slight inflammation, might not be as easy to detect, or they may result from a number of other concerns. However, when your gum tissues should never bleed, and if they, then it means the health and integrity of the tissues has been compromised. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we advise attending an examination and receiving a diagnosis as soon as you notice your gums bleeding, or other potential signs of gingivitis’ presence. (more…)
Important Things to Remember About Good Hygiene
Keeping up with good oral hygiene doesn’t sound that complicated to most people. However, despite the seeming simplicity of good hygiene practices, many people still experience common dental health issues that those practices are meant to prevent. Typically, the issue isn’t that people forget about their hygiene; it’s that they don’t always remember every aspect that goes into keeping their smiles healthy. That’s why good hygiene education and preventive measures are an important part of the services we provide at our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office. (more…)
Using Perio Protect to Fight Gum Disease at Home
For the most part, much of your efforts to prevent or control gum disease occur at home. For example, every day, you should brush your teeth at least twice and floss at least once, taking special care to clean along your gum line. However, when gum disease does develop, then seeking expert periodontal treatment can be necessary to effectively protect your smile. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we offer a variety of holistic treatments for all stages of gum disease. That includes offering Perio Protect – a customizable application that targets harmful oral bacteria with a strong but safe anti-microbial solution. (more…)
What Are Your Biggest Risks of Tooth Loss?
For many people, tooth loss is the biggest threat to their smile. While it doesn’t always have to be inevitable, there are many different risk factors that can make you significantly more likely to lose one or more teeth in the future. Fortunately, understanding and recognizing those risks can go a long way in helping you avoid losing teeth and needing to replace them. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we can help you identify what your biggest tooth loss risks are, and design an appropriate treatment plan to help you reduce or eliminate them. (more…)
What You Should Know About Modern Periodontal Treatment
One of the reasons why periodontal disease (or gum disease) is the second-most common oral health issue is because of how it forms. The disease is a product of oral bacteria, which naturally inhabit your mouth and produce substances that can damage your gum tissues. However, another reason why gum disease is so prominent is because patients who develop it often hesitate or neglect to address it. Part of that hesitation is due to misconceptions about periodontal treatment, such as the belief that it has to be complex and extensive. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, we perform expert, modern periodontal treatment in a more conservative and holistic manner than many patients expect. (more…)