Periodontics
Good gum health is key to keeping your teeth and enjoying your smile. Take care of your gum, teeth, and tooth structure health by scheduling a periodontics visit at Berkshire Dental, located in Clive, Iowa. Periodontics is all about preventing, diagnosing, and treating periodontal disease, or gum disease. To find out more, book your appointment today by calling 515-987-7670.
What is periodontics?
Periodontics is the field of dentistry that focuses on periodontal disease—an inflammatory condition that destroys the supporting structures around the teeth, particularly the gums. Because it attacks gums so viciously, many people call periodontal disease “gum disease.”
What is gum disease?
Gum disease is an infection that starts in your soft gum tissue and, without intervention, spreads to your teeth and the bone that supports your teeth. Gum disease usually occurs as a result of poor oral hygiene.
There are several stages of gum disease, starting with gingivitis, the mildest version of the disease. Gingivitis causes symptoms like red, swollen gums, and bleeding with brushing. It doesn’t usually cause much pain.
Gingivitis advances to periodontitis, which is gum disease. There are numerous types of periodontitis, including:
Aggressive periodontitis
Chronic periodontitis
Necrotizing periodontitis
Generally speaking, periodontitis creates problems such as:
Gums that are tender to the touch
Bad breath
Painful chewing
Gums receding from your teeth
New spaces between your teeth
Loose teeth
Teeth loss
Pus between the gums and teeth
A change in the way your teeth come together when you bite
At its worst, periodontitis may not only destroy your teeth but also enter your bloodstream and cause problems elsewhere in your body. Researchers have linked periodontitis to rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory disease, coronary artery disease, and difficulty controlling blood sugar in people with diabetes.
Do I need periodontics?
Everyone needs periodontics. By seeking periodontics, you can keep your mouth healthy or fight off gum disease at any stage. The earlier you seek care, the better your outcome, and the more manageable your treatment.
Berkshire Dental can help you maintain or improve your periodontal health using any number of treatments, including:
Scaling and root planing
Scaling and root planing is a two-in-one deep cleaning treatment.
During scaling, your Berkshire Dental team removes plaque and tartar both above and below the gum line. We pay special attention to your teeth surfaces and your periodontal pockets, which are the hollow “pocket” spaces between your gums and teeth.
During root planing, your team cleans plaque and tartar from the surface of your tooth roots. At this time, they also smooth your tooth roots, so that your gums can reattach to them.
Medication
To speed up the healing process, Berkshire Dental may prescribe medications, such as antimicrobial agents, or for active infections, topical or oral antibiotics.
Surgery
You may need surgery to treat advanced periodontal diseases, such as pocket reduction surgery, bone grafting, or soft tissue grafting.
If you have periodontal disease, or you’re interested in preventive treatment, reach out to Berkshire Dental to schedule a periodontics visit by calling 515-987-7670.