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keep your smile healthy
gum disease treatment in point Loma
If you have been noticing symptoms like bleeding gums, bad breath, or tenderness in your gums in Point Loma, you may have gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. If this is the case, you need to get professional treatment right away to keep your smile healthy, so contact Lighthouse Dental to get a consultation with Dr. Ajay Amin right away, and get a customized periodontal treatment plan.
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what is
gum (periodontal) disease?
Gum disease, which is also called periodontal disease, is an infection of the gums. Your mouth is home to billions of bacteria, and while most are not harmful, some are. If you do not brush and floss properly, harmful bacteria can reproduce and build up between your gums and teeth, infecting the gum tissue.
At first, this only results in some mild inflammation. But if you do not get the help you need, the infection will continue to progress, and will permanently damage your gums and teeth. If you have gum disease, you need to see a dentist like Dr. Amin for care, and ensure you follow a good at-home oral hygiene routine.
The good news is that gum disease is completely preventable. If you brush twice a day for two minutes, floss once a day, and see Dr. Amin for six-month visits, you are very unlikely to suffer from this condition. Eating a healthy diet and ceasing tobacco use can also help lower your risk of gum disease.
The difference between
gum disease vs. Gingivitis
Gingivitis is a term that’s used to refer to the first stage of gum disease. Usually, the term “gum disease” is only used to refer to “periodontitis” or “advanced periodontitis.” These are the second and third stages of gum disease, which cause irreversible damage to your gums and teeth. These stages include symptoms like gum recession, pain and tenderness around the gums, changes in the bite, pus building up between the gums and teeth, and even tooth loosening and loss.
In contrast, gingivitis is much milder and has less severe symptoms, usually limited to bleeding when brushing and flossing, bad breath (halitosis), and mild gum inflammation. Gingivitis can be completely eliminated with timely care, since it does not cause permanent damage. This is why it’s so important to get treatment for gum disease as soon as you can.
treating
periodontal disease
The first step of treating most cases of gum disease is a “deep cleaning” also called “scaling & root planing.” In this procedure, Dr. Amin uses dental tools to clean out plaque and tartar from between the gums and teeth, and to smooth out the roots of the teeth where bacteria tend to collect. Along with antibiotics, this can reverse gingivitis and halt the progression of more advanced cases of gum disease.
However, if you have a serious case of gum disease, surgical treatments like gum flap surgery may be required to clean the teeth more thoroughly, and gum grafting may be required to restore the health of your gums. Dr. Amin will discuss your options in more detail after your consultation at Lighthouse Dental.