Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is no fun. We know that you try to keep your gums clean and brushing goes a long way toward the fight. Flossing daily is an essential part of keeping gum disease at bay and while we know that you try your best, sometimes flossing every morning and every night and after meal can be a daunting task. There simply isn’t enough time in the day to do the things that we know are important, let alone the little things that we think are not-as-important. We understand how you can suddenly find yourself with gums that are tender and swollen, despite your best intentions.
The Gum Problem
The problem with gum disease goes beyond the physical pain to your mouth. When your gums become infected, they can actually start to pull away from your teeth. This causes a pocket to develop and that can cause problems beyond just bleeding and pain. When left untreated, this infection can become dangerous in many ways. Not only could you lose your teeth, but the infection can spread to your jawbone and cause bone loss. More unsettling is the fact that periodontal disease has been associated with heart disease, diabetes, premature birth rates, and a host of health problems. So be sure to make time to floss every day, no matter how busy you are, because your health depends on it! And at the first sign of gum trouble, come and see us at Shine Dental.
The Fix
When you develop a pocket in your gums, keeping the pocket clean goes beyond cleaning and brushing at home. You’ll need to have a deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planning, done at our office. Our experienced staff will remove the plaque and tartar under the gum line. If the infection requires antibiotic treatment, we will place a time-released antibiotic powder in the pocket during the scaling to remove the infection in your gums. The antibiotic will not spread to the rest of your body as it stays strictly in the pocket. And we will submit the antimicrobial treatment to your medical insurance company for coverage at no cost to you. Once the pocket is clear of toxins, it can begin to reattach to the tooth, making your gums healthier once again.
We want you to be healthy, and good bodily health starts with healthy teeth and gums. At Shine Dental, we’ll do our best to keep you pain and infection free when you take advantage of our periodontal services. Call us today and be on your way to good health!
