Periodontal disease affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth. Gum disease can cause inflammation, tooth loss and bone damage. The infection starts when the gums become inflamed due to bacteria in plaque, a sticky, colorless film that forms on your teeth.
Risk Factors Leading to Gum Disease
- Smoking
- Chew Tobacco
- Stress
- Genetics
- Pregnancy
- Medications
- Diabetes
- Poor Nutrition
Types of Gum Disease
- Gingivitis is the mildest form of gum disease, causing the gums to become red, swollen and bleed easily. There is no or very little discomfort associated with this stage of the disease. With a good oral hygiene regimen, the results of gingivitis can be reversed.
- Aggressive periodontitis displays rapid bone destruction and attachment loss in clinically healthy patients.
- Chronic periodontitis is one of the most common forms of gum disease and is frequently seen in adults. The stages progress slowly and can be recognized by gum recession and pocket formation.
Preventing Gum Disease
Maintaining a good oral hygiene routine and paying regular visits to your dentist can prevent gum disease. Daily brushing and flossing can keep plaque to a minimum. Professional cleanings every six months are also recommended.
Treating Gum Disease
In certain cases, periodontal surgery may be recommended to treat gum disease when non-surgical treatment is ineffective. We may recommend procedures such as pocket reduction, soft tissue grafts or bone regeneration to treat gum disease. If a tooth has been lost due to gum disease, dental implants are always an option for permanent tooth replacement.
Arestin
Arestin® is a major advance in the treatment of periodontal disease. It is a prescription antibiotic gel that is placed gently into your gum pockets where bacteria thrive after you have received scaling and root planing treatments. Arestin® uses microspheres, small spherical particles in the gel, to slowly release the antibiotic into the infected area for many days.
Treatment only takes a few minutes to administer and is a comfortable treatment that does not require anesthesia. The benefits you'll receive from one simple treatment can help you achieve better gum health. The use of Arestin® has been proven to be three times more successful than scaling and root planing alone.