It’s easy to overlook the health of your gums, but incredibly difficult to deal with the consequences of periodontal disease. G. Nili, DMD, and her talented team in Newport Beach, California, help to ensure that your gums stay healthy by monitoring their appearance during your regular checkups and performing dental and surgical treatments if you’re showing signs of recession. Periodontal disease is always more manageable when treated early, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment today by calling the office or booking an appointment online.
Periodontal disease is an infection of your gums caused by the buildup of bacteria on your teeth.
When you eat or drink, bacteria accumulates on your teeth, and leaves a sticky, colorless substance called “plaque,” which can be removed with simple brushing and flossing. If left on the teeth for too long, plaque hardens and turns to “tartar,” which can only be removed with a professional dental cleaning. Plaque and tartar irritate your gums, and lead to gum disease, or periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease has two stages: gingivitis and periodontitis. In gingivitis, your gums are inflamed and can bleed easily during brushing, but no permanent or irreversible damage has been done to the tissue or the underlying bone. If gingivitis is untreated, it can lead to periodontitis.
In periodontitis, your irritated gums pull away or recede from your bacteria-covered teeth, leading to the formation of “pockets” in between your gums and teeth. These pockets can collect debris and provide a space for bacteria to accumulate beneath the gum line. This bacteria can infect and damage the bone and connective tissue that keep your teeth in place, which can eventually cause your teeth to fall out of their sockets.
Some of the indications that you might be developing gum disease include:
The symptoms of periodontal disease are known to develop “silently,” and not present themselves obviously or painfully, even in the later stages of the disease. Because of this, it’s incredibly important to have dental professionals like those at G. Nili, DMD monitor you for any signs that you might be developing gum disease.
Regular brushing, flossing, and dental cleanings can all prevent gum disease from occurring, but if you develop gingivitis or periodontitis, there are a number of effective treatments that the dental specialists at G. Nili, DMD offer to fight the disease, such as:
A nonsurgical deep cleaning that removes the plaque and tartar from beneath your gum line and smooths out the ridges on the teeth to give your gums an easier place to reattach.
A surgical procedure where the plaque and tartar are cleaned and your gums are surgically reattached to your teeth
A piece of your own bone or soft tissue is grafted onto the affected area to encourage the regrowth of lost or damaged bone or soft tissue.
Antibiotics are also sometimes used to fight the spread of bacteria beneath the gumline to aid the gum in reattaching to the bone.
Make sure to regularly see your dental specialist or the team at G. Nili, DMD to optimize your oral hygiene and stay on top of any developments of periodontal disease. To schedule an appointment, call the office or use the convenient online booking tool today.