Gum Disease Treatment
Healthy Gums for a Healthy Smile
Why Choose Park City Dentistry for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Gum Screenings Performed at Every Checkup
- Fast & Painless Treatment with Soft Tissue Laser
- Non-Surgical Treatment Available
Did you know that 86% of the world’s population suffers from some form of gum disease? If left untreated, gum disease (also called periodontal disease) can cause bone loss in the jaw, and eventually, you may lose teeth. Gum disease can also affect overall health--research has linked it to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions. Needless to say, we take gum health very seriously here at Park City Dentistry! At the earliest sign of trouble, we’re ready to provide treatment that’s able to target and eliminate infection right away.
What is Gum Disease?
The most common disease in the United States is not what you may think. Heart disease, stroke, or cancer come to mind, but actually, gum disease is the single most prevalent disease in America. In fact, it affects more people than heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's, and cancer combined. About 80% of the population has some form of gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, periodontitis (advanced), and gingivitis (mild).
Gum disease is an infection of the gums and bone that support the teeth, and it usually starts early in life, then progresses as a person ages. It all starts when plaque hardens into tartar (also called calculus) below the gum line. This irritates vulnerable soft tissues and infection can set in. Combined with decaying food particles lodged between the teeth and bacteria emitted by plaque, the infection can spread quickly. Symptoms are so mild in the early phase that many patients don't recognize them: red, tender, swollen gums and bleeding when brushing teeth.
As the condition progresses, gums recede from the teeth and pockets of bacteria form. The bacteria can destroy gum tissue and bone, causing tooth and bone loss.
Why is Gum Disease so Serious?
Recent research reveals that gum disease is linked to an increased risk for major overall health problems, including but not limited to stroke, heart disease, respiratory problems, osteoporosis, diabetes complications, low birth weight, and most recently, dementia. Because of these findings, research continues. We may learn much more in the next few years.
It makes perfect sense, though – gum disease is linked to overall health problems. Everything that enters or is present in the mouth has access to the whole body. The mouth is like a portal to the body. That's why regular checkups and hygiene visits are vital to not only your oral health but also your overall health.
Is Gum Disease Curable?
Unfortunately, gum disease is not curable. However, we can detect early warning signs of gum disease at your regular dental checkups. At this stage, prevention might be as simple as improving your brushing technique, altering your flossing routine, or changing the products you use for oral care at home. Once gum disease sets in, we can often treat it with non-surgical therapy.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is like a routine dental cleaning that is solely focused on your gum line and roots of the teeth. A small scaler is used to remove harmful plaque and tartar deposits underneath the gums, and then the roots of the teeth are gently reshaped so that they are less likely to gather plaque in the future.
Gum Recontouring Surgery
Gum recession is another common symptom of gum disease, in which the soft tissues literally pull away from the teeth to expose the sensitive enamel located around the roots. This can severely affect both the look and health of the smile, but it’s a problem our team is able to fix in just one appointment. Using tissue harvested from a patient’s mouth or donated tissue, we can bring the gum line back to its original position to restore someone’s appearance and make sure their teeth have the proper support.