Periodontal Disease in Oklahoma City
Gum disease (or periodontal disease) is one of the leading causes of tooth decay in adults. When left untreated, this disease can lead to major health problems including heart disease and strokes. During your appointment with Dr. Grace, you can explain the issues you are having and if found, she can diagnose gum disease and set up a treatment plan to help get your gums back on track.
What is gum disease?
There are three stages of gum disease; gingivitis, periodontitis and advanced periodontitis. Gingivitis is a fairly mild form of gum disease that impacts only the gums and is generally treatable, even reversible if caught quickly enough. If left untreated, however, gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, a much more serious diagnosis. Periodontitis will have some irreversible damage to the mouth. This stage has been associated with bone and fiber damage. If proper dental treatment is still not sought out, advanced periodontitis is likely to take place. In this final stage of gum disease, jaw bone loss, tooth decay, and tooth loss can occur.
Believe it or not, gum disease is sometimes difficult for a patient to notice because there is not always associated discomfort or plainly visible signs. However, if you have any of the following you should set up a consultation as soon as possible, since these may be signs of gum disease:
► Loose teeth or a change in your bite
► Redness, puffiness or swelling of the gums
► Bleeding from the gums while flossing, brushing or biting into hard foods
► Persistent bad breath or a persistent metallic taste
► Receded gums
How Gum Disease is Treated
There are both surgical and non-surgical procedures that treat gum disease -
Periodontal therapy sometimes called scaling and root planing is the first step to healthier gums. This non-surgical procedure goes after plaque underneath the gum line and works on the roots of teeth to clean the area and prevent future buildup. For other patients, Dr. Grace may recommend periodontal surgery or laser therapy. These procedures reduce patient discomfort and recovery time by targeting precise areas of disease more thoroughly.
OKC Gum Disease Prevention
First and foremost, schedule an appointment with your Oklahoma City dentist. Staying on schedule with your regular dental exams will help remove any plaque build-up and tartar that has accumulated on your teeth. The only way to remove tartar, hardened plaque, is with a professional cleaning. Next, brush twice a day and floss at least once daily. Good, daily oral health habits with semi-annual cleanings are often all patients need to keep gum disease at bay.