What is gum disease?
Gum disease, also called periodontal disease and periodontitis, is a common infection affecting your gums, the light pink soft tissue surrounding and supporting your teeth. Severe cases of gum disease can cause jawbone loss, even tooth loss, when left untreated. See Dr. Civelek at the first sign of gum disease.
What are the symptoms of gum disease?
Gum disease symptoms include:
- Puffy, swollen gums
- Tender gums
- Bleeding gums
- Bright red gums
- Pain when chewing
- Bad breath
- Pus between your gums and teeth
- Loose permanent teeth
- Tooth loss
- Receding gums
- Changes in your bite
- New spaces between your teeth
The cause of tooth loss associated with gum disease is usually jawbone loss. The earlier you seek treatment for gum disease, the better your chance of preserving your jawbone.
What are the risk factors for gum disease?
The leading cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene habits. Other risk factors include a family history of gum disease, smoking, chewing tobacco, drug use, and hormone changes. Inadequate nutrition, obesity, and taking some medications can also increase your risk of developing gum disease.
If you have a chronic disease or condition that affects your immune system, your risk of developing gum disease increases.
Brushing your teeth after meals, flossing daily, using an antibacterial mouthwash, and having routine dental cleanings and exams reduce your risk of developing gum disease.
How does my doctor diagnose gum disease?
Dr. Civelek often diagnoses gum disease after examining your teeth and gums and measuring gum pockets (the spaces between your teeth and gums). He also asks about your symptoms and uses dental imaging procedures to view your jawbone and other structures beneath your gums.
How is gum disease treated?
Dr. Civelek offers a variety of cutting-edge gum disease treatments, including:
- Home oral hygiene education
- Deep dental cleaning
- Scaling
- Root planing
- Medications
- Mouthwashes
- Pocket reduction surgery
- Gum grafting
- Bone grafting
- Laser dentistry
- Guided tissue regeneration
- Tissue-stimulating proteins
Dr. Civelek personalizes each gum disease treatment to give you the best results and restore your gums and jawbone. He also offers dental implants to replace missing permanent teeth lost due to gum disease.
If you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease or think you have it, schedule a visit with Holistic Periodontics by phone or online today.
