Gum disease affects hundreds of millions of Americans, according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control.
That study estimates that nearly half of adults 30 and over had some form of periodontitis, and around two-thirds of adults 65 and older have this condition.
Our wish is that these findings would serve as a wake-up call to remind everyone about the importance of good oral care, which should include flossing on a daily basis.
If you are suffering from periodontal disease, we want you to know that our team at the dentist office of K.C. Sykora, DDS, can help you get treatment. If you live in or near West Chester, PA, we want to help you as soon as possible.
In today’s post, we will explain how we can treat advanced gum disease and what you can do to prevent your gums from getting to that point.
Bleeding Gums And Other Warning Signs
In order to know if you need gum disease treatment, you first need to recognize the symptoms of gum disease.
Bleeding gums are one of the most common signs that, yes, you do have gum disease. If the bleeding occurs when you are brushing and flossing your teeth, you have likely developed gingivitis. This is considered a mild form of gum disease.
Other symptoms of gingivitis are gums that look redder and more swollen than usual.
The good news is that you often can treat gingivitis at home.
What should you do? You should be following the American Dental Association’s recommendations regarding brushing and flossing your teeth.
This means brushing twice a per for two minutes each time, and flossing once per day. Unfortunately, the ADA conducted its own survey about flossing habits recently. It found that only 40 percent of Americans say they floss daily (which could explain why so many adults have gum disease).
Here’s a quick reminder about flossing. Break off a piece of floss that is about 18 inches long. Wind the ends around your middle fingers. While holding a small piece between your index fingers and thumbs, work the floss between your teeth and below your gumline.
If you bleed while flossing, this is a sign that you should do it more often. As this becomes a habit, you should notice the bleeding lessens and stops.
Some people find dental floss difficult to use. If you are one of them, there are some alternatives for cleaning between your teeth and gums.
Flossers can be a more comfortable to clean those spaces. These are devices with short handles and a U-shaped end with a piece of floss between it.
Water flossers are another excellent option cleaning those hard to reach spaces. These use a stream of water to remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth and gums.
Periodontitis: Advanced Gum Disease
For the sake of explanation, let’s assume you ignore the symptoms of gingivitis. What could happen next?
Your bleeding gums could get worse. You may notice that bleeding occurs more easily, such as when you are eating.
Your gums may start to feel sore or tender, and you may notice gum recession, which is when your gums start to separate from your teeth.
Other signs of advanced gum disease include pus leaking from your gums and lingering bad breath or bad taste in your mouth.
The sign that things are really bad is when your teeth start to feel loose. Believe it or not, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States.
Periodontitis cannot be treated by just flossing more regularly. You need the help of dental professionals to fix this problem.
At our dentist office, we will start with scaling and root planing. This is a deep cleaning procedure that goes a step beyond a routine cleaning. During this treatment, a dentist or hygienist will remove plaque and tartar buildup from the roots of your teeth.
We also may use a dental laser to remove infected gum tissue. The laser has multiple benefits for our patients.
First, it allows us to more precisely target and remove the infected tissue. These leaves more of the healthy tissue intact.
Second, the laser causes less bleeding than a scalpel. Since no cutting is involved, you heal more quickly than you would if we used a scalpel.
And third, the laser seals the gum tissue. This way we don’t need to use stitches.
If your gum disease is particularly severe, we will refer you to a specialist to make sure you get the treatment you need.
Prevention Is The Best Approach
Rather than fighting gum disease after the fact, follow the ADA recommendations to prevent it.
Brush and floss your teeth every day. Visit our dentist office in West Chester, PA, for regular cleanings and examinations. If we can find gum disease early, we can treat it more effectively.
Now would be a good time to make your next appointment with K.C. Sykora, DDS, if you haven’t already. You can contact us online or by calling 610-314-7534.