From early intervention to advanced treatment, Border Country Dental offers periodontal services to help restore healthy gums and maintain your smile.
Healthy Gums for Healthy Smiles
Healthy gums do more than hold your teeth in place; they also protect teeth from bacteria to help keep gum disease and cavities at bay. However, since our gums are susceptible to infection, and the symptoms can be subtle, many people have periodontal disease and aren't aware of it.
Hygienists and dentists are trained to spot the signs of gum disease early, before it becomes severe. That's why six-month teeth cleanings and exams are crucial.
A lot can happen with your gum health in six months, and routine hygiene visits allow your dental team to stay a step ahead of the disease or prevent its progression if it's already present.
- Gum Disease Symptoms
At times, symptoms of gum disease are subtle. However, some patients may experience:
- Receding gums
- Bleeding in your gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Red or purple gums
- Sore or swollen gums
- Diagnosing Gum Disease
To diagnose gum disease, your dentist will measure the depth of the pockets around each tooth. Pockets deeper than 3 mm are considered hazardous and will usually need treatment.
Regular dental exams allow your dentist to detect gum disease early and take preventive measures.
- Treatment
To treat gum disease, we remove bacteria and debris that accumulate in pockets around your teeth. These bacteria live at a microscopic level. The process can be pretty meticulous.
The process of eliminating bacteria usually requires multiple visits to our office. Once bacteria have been removed, your dentist must clean and maintain these pockets regularly. Otherwise, bacteria can begin to damage the bone.
- Long-Term Care
Generally, if you have experienced gum or periodontal disease, you will always need to pay extra attention to your oral health.
Along with maintaining diligent hygiene at home, it's essential to visit us for regular cleanings to prevent the bone in your mouth and jaw from receding.
After the initial issue is treated, we will recommend that you attend periodontal maintenance appointments every three to four months.
Periodontal Specialists for Grand Forks Patients
If your periodontitis is advanced, we may refer you to a periodontist for specialized treatment and management of periodontal (gum) disease.
Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease is a progressive condition. If left untreated, it can advance to more severe stages, leading to serious consequences for both oral and overall health. The stages of gum disease include:
- Gingivitis
Bacteria that haven't been removed from gums and teeth can grow out of control and produce toxins that irritate the gums.
When calculus, also known as plaque, develops along the gum line, it creates a rough surface where plaque accumulates. This leads to irritation and swelling, resulting in bad breath or sore, bleeding gums.
Spaces between gum and teeth pockets can develop, but no bone damage occurs in this mild, reversible stage of periodontal disease.
Regular hygiene cleanings and exams are critical for maintaining the health of your gums. They also give your dentist the chance to check for developing gum disease.
- Periodontitis
Plaque, sometimes referred to as calculus, is the most common cause of periodontitis and is located beneath the gum line. This condition can result in the breakdown of ligaments, causing the gums to detach and pull away from the teeth.
As the pockets deepen, they fill with more bacteria, and the bone's supportive ligaments start to become damaged, resulting in loose teeth.
- Advanced Periodontitis
The advanced stage of periodontitis results in deep pockets that can occasionally become filled with pus. Swelling may occur around the root, along with increased bone loss, contributing to loose teeth.
Tooth extraction may be a necessary remedy to preserve your general oral health.
Surgical Gum Therapy (Gum Grafting)
During a gum graft procedure, your periodontist removes a small piece of specialized gum tissue from the roof of your mouth to the area that requires additional gum coverage.
The tissue is attached with a special adhesive that adheres to and protects the new graft, allowing for healing to occur. The specialized adhesive also protects the roof of your mouth. This area requires a few days to heal following the procedure.
Follow-up appointments are necessary to ensure that healing is taking place.