Believe it or not, the health of your gums can play a major role in your general health, as well. Gum disease is treatable if you catch it early, and at Brooklin Village Dental Care our dentists are always looking for signs of gum disease so that it is detected early. If left undiagnosed or untreated, gum disease can lead to more serious medical concerns such as loss of bone structure or heart disease.
But let’s take a deeper look into what gum disease is and what you can do to prevent it.
Gum disease is the swelling, tenderness, or infection of the gums which support your teeth. There are two main forms of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontal. Periodontal disease is an advanced form of gum disease where the gum and bone pull away from the teeth which then leave pockets that can become infected causing further damage to the gum and bone.
A few of the signs and symptoms you should be looking for include:
With gingivitis, prompt professional treatment can usually reverse the effects of the disease. The treatment includes professional teeth cleaning to remove plaque build-up, and the dentist may also recommend a certain mouthwash rinse for after-brushing to help prevent tartar build-up in between cleanings. It’s imperative that good oral hygiene be practiced to prevent gingivitis from worsening.
Periodontal disease will require a periodontist to do a deep clean of not only your teeth, but also your gum line. This is done by making small incisions in the gum to get below the gum line and clean out any tartar, bacteria, or other debris.
In certain instances, you also may need a root canal done in order to clean everything up, but this will be determined ahead of time.
Here at Brooklin Village Dental Center, our caring staff and dentists will help you understand what you can do to spot and prevent gum disease. With our convenient evening and Saturday appointments, there’s no excuse to not having the healthiest smile in town!