Find out how our dental team can help you get your gum disease under control.
It’s true that gum disease affects millions of American adults and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults; however, these serious complications don’t occur until the disease has progressed. So, how do you catch gum disease early before it’s caused significant damage? By visiting our North Richland Hills, TX, dentist, Dr. Anu, for routine dental checkups twice a month.
Catch Gum Disease Early
Unfortunately, gum disease doesn’t always cause symptoms until the more advanced and serious stages. This means that gum disease could be hiding out in your gums without you even knowing; however, when you come into our North Richland Hills, TX, dental office for routine checkups, our dentist and hygienists can look at changes in the gums that could alert us to the fact that you have gum disease. Keeping up with these six-month checkups makes it possible for our dental team to detect problems early on when they are much easier to treat.
Treating Gingivitis
If diagnosed with gum disease during the very beginning stages, which is known as gingivitis, you’ll be happy to hear that this problem can be reversed. Of course, we will need to ramp up your at-home dental routine, which includes making sure that you are brushing properly (this means brushing for two minutes, two times a day) and flossing daily.
Those with gingivitis can often benefit from an antibacterial toothpaste. Your dentist may also prescribe an antibacterial mouthwash to rinse your mouth throughout the day. These habits alone can treat those early signs of gum disease and prevent inflammation from getting worse.
How a Dentist Treats Gum Disease
If you notice inflamed gums, pain, or tenderness in the gums, or bleeding then it’s time to see your dentist. If you are diagnosed with gum disease, there are several ways to improve your symptoms and to prevent the problem from getting worse. This usually includes:
- Improving your at-home care routine and brushing and flossing technique
- Prescribing special toothpastes or oral rinses
- Performing scaling and root planing: a deep professional dental cleaning that allows us to remove tartar and plaque below the gum line
- Antibiotics: your dentist can also place dissolvable antibiotic fibers within the infected pockets of the gums to kill bacteria
- Surgery: in very severe and advanced cases, your dentist may recommend surgery to repair damaged or deteriorated bone or tissue, or to prevent tooth loss
If you are noticing gum pain or other problems, or if it’s simply time to schedule your six-month dental cleaning, call Precinct Line Dentistry in North Richland Hills, TX, today at (817) 663-0076. Of course, during this pandemic, our top priority is to protect the health of our patients. If you’ve been sick or you have traveled in the past 14 days, please call to reschedule your appointment. Stay safe and keep doing everything you can to keep those smiles healthy!