Gum disease is one of the biggest threats to your teeth. It starts with gum tissues that are red, swollen, and bleed easily. Sooner or later, assuming no action is taken, the infection could reach the tissue connecting your teeth to your jaw and destroy it, leaving you with several gaps in your smile. Fortunately, if you get in touch with Dent-Care Dental as soon as you have reason to think you might have gum disease, Dr. Volker can quickly diagnose your case and devise a plan for periodontal treatment in Sunnyside, NY to get rid of the infection.
Gum disease is an infection of the gums and supportive tissues. In most cases, it is caused by plaque and tartar buildup as a result of poor oral hygiene. It can lead to permanent gum damage, tooth loss, and other serious health issues. Here are the two stages of gum disease:
Gum disease can develop for a number of different reasons. Some of the most common risk factors include smoking and chewing tobacco, poor oral hygiene, genetics, immune-compromising conditions, some medications, and hormonal changes from pregnancy.
It’s important to recognize symptoms of gum disease early so you know when changes need to be made. Here are some of the common signs to be on the lookout for.
Gingivitis:
Periodontitis:
While cleaning every surface of your teeth is vital, the treatment for gum disease focuses specifically on removing plaque and tartar from the area around and underneath the gum line. After this process (known as scaling) is complete, we need to encourage the gums to reattach to the enamel while giving oral bacteria fewer opportunities to build up again. To do this, we smooth (or “plane”) the roots of the teeth in the affected areas.