What is Gum Disease Care?

Are you curious about gum disease care from a dentist in New York, NY? Here's what you need to know about gum disease prevention and treatment.

Gum disease, also called periodontal disease, is an inflammatory disease that affects the structures supporting your teeth. About 46% of adults over the age of 30 show signs of gum disease. Severe gum disease affects about 9% of adults and is now the leading cause of tooth loss.

While mild gum disease is treated with good oral hygiene and professional cleanings, you might require more intensive treatment. Here are a few gum disease treatment options your dentist in New York, NY might recommend.



After reading this guide, you can prepare yourself for treatment to ensure the best possible oral health. Read on to learn more!

Professional Dental Cleanings

Your dentist in New York will determine how to best treat your gum disease based on:

• The stage of the disease
• Your current health
• How you've responded to earlier treatments

The best way to prevent gum disease is to brush and floss daily. Otherwise, food particles and bacteria will get trapped on and between your teeth. These components can eventually form plaque if you fail to brush and floss.

Plaque is a sticky, clear film that can cling to the surface of your teeth. In time, plaque can harden into tartar. You'll need to schedule a tooth cleaning to have tartar professionally removed.

Neglecting routine cleanings could cause gum disease to develop.

Routine dental cleaning will also give your dentist the chance to spot early signs of gum disease. Common gum disease symptoms include:

• Gums that are tender, swollen, or red
• Foul-smelling breath that lingers after brushing
• Loose teeth
• Changes in how your teeth fit together
• Pain when chewing
• Sensitivity
• Gums that have pulled away from your teeth
• Bleeding gums
• Pus between your gums and teeth

If these symptoms sound familiar, schedule an appointment with your dentist right away. Otherwise, periodontal disease can increase your risk of stroke, heart disease, and diabetes. 

Professional cleanings allow your hygienist to remove plaque and tartar from above and below your gum line. If you're already displaying signs of gum disease, your dentist might recommend appointments more than twice a year.

During your appointment, make sure to talk to your dentist about ways of preventing gum disease as well. 

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure that allows your dentist to deep clean your teeth. The procedure is often performed under local anesthesia.

Your dentist will scrape away (scaling) any hardened plaque and tartar they find above or below your gum line. They'll also smooth down rough spots (planing) that appear on the tooth root. This process allows your dentist to remove bacteria from your teeth.

It also ensures a clean surface for your gums to reattach to your teeth as needed.



Without gum disease treatment, however, your gums could become loose over time.

Antibiotics

In some cases, your dentist will recommend antibiotics to improve your dental health. Antibiotics can help control plaque and inflammation of your gum tissue.



Your dentist might recommend antibiotics like chlorhexidine or minocycline HCI.

They'll place the antibiotics in your mouth, within the periodontal pocket (the space between your gums and teeth).

Flap Surgery

In some cases, your dentist might recommend a surgical treatment option instead. For example, they might suggest flap (also called pocket reduction) surgery.

During the procedure, your dentist will lift your gums back to remove any tartar they find. They'll look for damaged bone and irregular surfaces to smooth down, too. This process will limit the areas where disease-causing bacteria are able to hide.

Afterward, your dentist will place your gums so the tissue fits snugly around each tooth.



This ensures there are limited areas where future bacteria can grow and spread. Flap surgery can help reduce the chances of serious complications in the future.

Bone Grafts

Your dentist might use fragments of your bone, donated bone, or synthetic bone for this procedure. Bone grafts replace bone in areas that were previously destroyed by periodontal disease. The procedure enables new bone to regrow.

The procedure will also restore the attachment of your teeth to the bone.



In some cases, your dentist might recommend tissue engineering as well. The procedure promotes your body to create new bone and tissue.

Soft Tissue Grafts

Remember, gum disease can cause your gum line to recede away from your teeth. As a result, you might require a soft tissue graft. A soft tissue graft can strengthen areas of thin gums.

It can also fill in areas where your gums have started receding to minimize areas where the root of a tooth appears exposed.



This procedure involves taking tissue from the roof of your mouth before stitching it into place. 

Guided Tissue Regeneration

Guided tissue regeneration is often performed after the destruction of the bone supporting your teeth. The procedure can help stimulate the natural gum tissue and bone growth.

Your dentist will likely complete this procedure in combination with flap surgery. The process involves using a small piece of mesh-like fabric, which is inserted between gum tissue and bone. As a result, the gum tissue should stop growing into areas where bone should appear.

The process should help bone and connective tissue regrow to better support your teeth and stunning smile. 

Bone Surgery

During this procedure, your dentist will smooth any shallow craters of bone that have occurred due to moderate or advanced bone loss. They'll likely schedule the procedure after flap surgery. Then, the bone around your teeth is reshaped, decreasing any existing craters.



This procedure will make it more difficult for bacteria to build and grow in the future.

Visit Your Dentist in New York, NY for Gum Disease Treatment Today

In most cases, your dentist in New York, NY will only recommend scaling and root planing. However, you might need more extensive gum disease treatment if you have a severe case of gum disease. Make sure to review these treatment options with them to gain a better understanding of your needs.

With their help, you can improve your oral health for a stunning, healthy smile. 

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