Periodontal Disease

What is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is an inflammatory condition that affects your gums and the other supportive tissues that surround your teeth. If you don’t brush or floss enough, a layer of bacteria called plaque starts to build up along your gumline on your teeth. The bacteria irritate your gums, causing increasingly serious symptoms and complications. 

The earliest stage of periodontal disease, called gingivitis, is easily reversible with the right periodontal maintenance. If Dr. Clifford or Dr. Cutler informs you that you have gingivitis, a simple change in your oral hygiene may reverse the damage. If the disease is advanced, you’ll need further treatment at Arizona Advanced Dental to regain control of your oral health.

What are the symptoms of periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease comes with many signs and symptoms that indicate you need to visit a dentist. You might notice:

• Persistent, unmanageable bad breath
• Bleeding when you brush or floss
• Bright red or purple gums
• Mouth sores
• Gum sensitivity
• A receding gumline
• Space or pus between your gums and teeth
• Loose adult teeth

After reviewing your symptoms, Dr. Clifford and Dr. Cutler may suggest an X-ray, oral cancer screening, or both.

What are my treatment options for periodontal disease?

Treating periodontal disease isn’t just important for alleviating symptoms: It could save your teeth from falling out. There is also research suggesting a link between unmanaged periodontal disease and heart disease, diabetes, and other serious chronic conditions.

Dr. Clifford and Dr. Cutler offer:

Debridement

Debridement is often the first step of periodontal disease treatment, involving the removal of plaque and damaged tissue from around your teeth using water and vibrations. 

Gingival irrigation

During a gingival irrigation procedure, your dentist washes out the bacteria and other debris from between your gums and teeth with an antimicrobial solution.

Scaling and root planing

Scaling and root planing are deep-cleaning dental procedures often delivered together. During scaling, your dentist or hygienist scrapes away plaque from below your gumline. During root planing, they smooth the root of your tooth for easier reattachment to your gum.

If the damage to your teeth and gums is too extensive for these treatments, you may be referred to a periodontal specialist for surgery.

Bleeding gums during brushing and flossing aren’t normal, so don’t look past it. To find out if you’re in the early stages of periodontal disease, call Arizona Advanced Dental or request an appointment online today.