How Gum Disease Threatens Your Smile

Our team offers professional periodontal care to help prevent or manage periodontal disease. Otherwise, this common and widespread concern could lead to unsightly gum recession and a higher risk of tooth loss. In today’s blog, your Encinitas/San Diego, CA, periodontist talks about how gum disease threatens your smile.

The Factors Behind Periodontal Disease

The problem starts with gum inflammation. Your gingival tissues could be inflamed due to factors like plaque buildup brought on by poor oral hygiene, certain medications and inflammatory illnesses, cigarettes and tobacco use, and a family history of the disease. When gingivitis begins, this could lead to discomfort and eventually, the tissues pull away from the teeth. When they do, this creates deep pockets or disease-causing bacteria to enter. As a result, people develop periodontal disease, which needs to be managed to prevent worsening symptoms and the risk of major oral health complications.

The First Symptoms and Long-Term Threats

In the earliest stages of gingivitis, you may notice your gums look red and feel sore. Over time, as the disease progresses, you could experience bleeding when you brush or floss, and your gums could recede to make your teeth appear longer. The receding gums expose sensitive root structure and increase the risk of severe decay and infection. At this point, the tissues connecting your teeth and gums could be severed, leading to adult tooth loss. You need to see us when you notice changes to your gingival tissues, so we can create a treatment plan to manage the concern and safeguard the health, beauty, and stability of your smile.

Starting Treatment

Our team will start with a detailed examination using digital x-rays and intraoral cameras, so we can look at the entire smile and assess the cause and extent of the disease, so we can create a personalized treatment plan. For less severe cases, we could use a deep cleaning (scaling and root planing), as well as Ozone Therapy and other preventive actions to keep the disease in check. For more severe cases and major gum recessions, we could employ tactics like the Pinhole Surgical Technique, using dental lasers to help remove diseased tissues and correct recession. You then enjoy better oral health, and we can create a treatment plan for preventive care moving forward to keep your smile whole and healthy.

If you have any questions about how we fight issues like periodontal disease, then contact our team today to learn more.

Talk To Your Encinitas/San Diego, CA Periodontist About Fighting Periodontal Disease

Our team is here to protect and preserve your smile. If you would like to learn more about periodontal care, then call Dr. Kania’s office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.