Gum Disease in Clinton, Maryland

What Does Periodontal Disease Mean?

Periodontal literally means around the tooth. Periodontal, or gum disease, is an infection which attacks the gums, ligaments and jawbone surrounding your teeth. The good news is that gum disease, when caught early and in the gingivitis stage, is curable. Later down the line, the disease is much more difficult to treat and could lead to lasting problems. Our dentists are passionate about catching gum disease in Clinton early and treating the disease before it causes damage to the teeth's support structures.

How Do People Develop Gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the earliest form of gum disease. Signs of gingivitis show when plaque and tartar inflame and irritate your gums. The gum disease symptoms are mild, so it's essential to have regular dental exams in case you miss them. Everyone gets plaque on their teeth, but if they don't remove it by brushing and flossing, it builds up and hardens into a substance called tartar. The plaque and tartar cause gingivitis, which can advance to a more destructive form of gum disease if it's left untreated. Thankfully, there is a gingivitis cure that stops the gum disease from progressing.

What Are the Typical Gingivitis Symptoms?

Gingivitis symptoms include:

• Puffy gums that appear shiny
• Gums that change from a healthy pink to red
• Tender, sore gums
• Gums that bleed when you brush or floss

If you notice any signs of gingivitis, please call our office to set up an appointment. One of our dentists can provide gingivitis treatment to prevent the disease from turning into periodontitis. There are things you can do at this stage to prevent further problems and they can be implemented at home and for far less than periodontitis treatment. 

What Are the Typical Symptoms of More Serious Gum Disease?

If you don't get gingivitis treatment, the disease may advance to periodontitis. Signs of gum disease may now include:

• Pockets of pus between your teeth and gums
• Your teeth will appear longer as your gums recede
• You will have a foul taste in your mouth and bad breath
• Your teeth will feel loose
• Your bite may change

Keep in mind that during this stage you are more likely to be experiencing pain and discomfort from additional symptoms and the further progression of the disease. It’s very important to contact you dentist if you notice any of the signs indicated above.  

What Are the Stages of Gum Disease?

There are three distinct stages of gum disease, including:

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the mildest stage of periodontal disease. Plaque you don't remove by brushing turns into tartar and both inflame and irritate your gums. If you get gingivitis treatment as soon as you notice the first signs of gingivitis, you can reverse the gum disease.

Periodontitis

Slight or moderate periodontitis is manageable. You will develop pockets of four to seven millimeters between your teeth and gums which allow bacteria access to your ligaments and bone that hold your teeth firmly in place.

Advanced Periodontitis

This is the most destructive stage and there is a good chance you could lose some of your jawbone, chewing will be very painful and you will have very bad breath. Getting gum disease treatment at this point is essential to avoid tooth loss.

Where Can I Find a Gingivitis Cure?

If you have gingivitis symptoms, please call our office for an appointment. Reversing gum disease is easily accomplished when you have gingivitis. If your gingivitis turns into periodontitis, there is no gum disease cure; dentists can only manage the disease. Our dentists who treat gum disease in Clinton offer patients with gingivitis a dental cleaning to remove bacteria-laden plaque and tartar. Next, your dentist will explain home to care for your teeth and gums at home more efficiently so you'll have a permanent gingivitis cure.

How Do Dentists Treat Advanced Periodontal Disease?

We start with a scaling and root planing procedure, AKA a deep dental cleaning. Unlike a regular dental cleaning, this procedure cleans underneath the gums, removing bacteria from the gums. Root planing is smoothing out the roots, which makes it easier for the gums to reattach to them. Antibiotic treatment is also an option.

Can Dentists Reverse Gum Disease?

Reversing gum disease is possible if you have gingivitis. Dentists have a gingivitis cure, but they can't cure periodontitis or advanced periodontitis. Nevertheless, you should still seek treatment for periodontal disease so one of our dentists can control the infection so it does not spread. Dentists can stop more damage from occurring and possibly prevent tooth loss. Call us today if you have gum disease symptoms to see what we can do for you.