Gum Disease Treatment – Saint Peters, MO
Stop Tooth Loss with Gum Therapy
Unfortunately, gum disease (also called periodontal disease) is notoriously difficult to catch on your own until it’s too late. Many American adults have gingivitis and don’t even realize it because it’s a condition that doesn’t exactly make itself known until after it’s reached the more advanced stages. When this advanced stage, or periodontitis, does in fact start to develop, it doesn’t mean you should give up on treatment. If you need gum disease treatment in Saint Peters, Dr. Kamlesh Makwana has the solution for you at Klassik Smiles! Give his dental office a call to get started!
Why Choose Klassik Smiles for Gum Disease Treatment?
- See Oral Problems with Our iTero Scanner
- Dentist with 25+ Years of Experience
- Friendly & Skilled Dental Team
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is literally an infection of the gum tissue and is actually among the most common chronic diseases in the United States. This is largely because gum disease can exist without you even realizing it, especially in the earliest stages of development. It’s typically caused by unremoved dental plaque and tartar that releases acids, which attack not just tooth enamel, but the gum tissue holding teeth in place. After enough time, this can irritate the gums and make them red, tender, and inflamed. Without treatment, the gums will eventually form pockets in between teeth and begin to recede, exposing more of the overall tooth structure. Teeth will also begin to fall out as the foundation holding them in place permanently deteriorates.
Diagnosing Gum Disease
When you come into our dental practice, we pay close attention to all of your essential oral structures, especially your gums. If the gums appear to be red or inflamed, it could be due to the early signs of gingivitis beginning to develop. To better evaluate the severity of your gum disease, we measure the pocket depth of your gum tissue. The deeper the pockets, the more developed and serious your gum disease has become. If we determine that a simple dental cleaning and improved at-home care are not enough to resolve your gum disease, we’ll take the necessary steps to stop the infection from spreading further.
Is Gum Disease Treatable?
The good news is gum disease is very treatable. At our dental office, we use scaling, root planing, and antibiotic therapy to effectively reduce the effects of gum disease, break down harmful plaque, and accelerate the healing process.
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling specifically refers to the practice of removing harmful plaque and tartar from areas above and beneath the gumline. The key here is to remove plaque that would not otherwise be removable via traditional brushing, flossing, or professional teeth cleanings. The second step, known as root planing, is designed to promote the reattachment of the tooth roots to the gums. This prevents future gum recession, which reduces teeth sensitivity. Keep in mind that this treatment needs to be performed once every three to four months as the gums need time to heal.
Antibiotic Therapy
The last step of gum disease treatment is antibiotic therapy, which is basically the practice of placing topical antibiotics in the deep pockets of your gum tissue so they can more effectively heal. Antibiotics are designed to promote healing in between scaling and root planing treatment. When you come back for your follow-up appointment, we’ll confirm that the antibiotics are working as planned.
