Addressing Gum Disease to Protect Your Smile
When ignored for too long, gum disease can be a dire threat to your oral health, potentially resulting in tooth loss. It may also have an impact on your overall health by increasing your risk for life-threatening heart problems. Fortunately, the team at Northampton Dental Specialists Group has multiple ways to address the problem and prevent it from progressing further. Give us a call today if you have reason to believe that you might need gum disease treatment in Northampton.
Why Choose Northampton Dental Specialists Group for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Gentle, Thorough Scaling and Root Planing
- State-of-the-Art Laser Treatments
- Team of Highly Trained Dental Experts
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is medically known as periodontal disease. This condition is a chronic inflammatory infection of the gum tissue. When plaque and tartar remain on the teeth for a long time, the bacteria they contain begin releasing toxins that inflame the gums, leading to an infection.
Over time, untreated gum disease leads to the formation of pockets in the gums. The bacteria in the pockets thrive and grow, moving ever deeper towards the underlying bone tissue. The destruction of gum and bone eventually causes teeth to loosen and possibly fall out.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
The signs and symptoms of periodontal disease may include:
- Red or swollen gums
- Gums that are tender or bleed
- Chronic bad breath
- Pain when chewing
- Sensitive teeth
- Receding gums
- Loose teeth
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
Our practice offers multiple forms of treatment for gum disease. The specific service(s) that we recommend in your case will largely depend on how severe the condition currently is. We can walk you through your treatment options once we have completed an examination of your mouth.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing in Northampton refers to a treatment in which a dental professional uses special tools to remove plaque and tartar found beneath the gum line. To carry out this treatment, a member of your dental team will carefully smooth the root of the tooth so that the gum can reattach to it.
Scaling and root planing is unofficially known as a “deep cleaning.” This is a rather intense treatment that results in an improvement of the patient’s dental health.
Do I Need Scaling & Root Planing?
Scaling and root planing are used for the treatment of gum disease, which can be caused by factors like:
- poor oral hygiene
- smoking tobacco
- poor diet, genetics
- side effects caused by certain medications.
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The Process of Scaling & Root Planing
Your dentist will use dental tools called scalars and curettes to thoroughly clean the pockets around your teeth. Some cases may require the use of a numbing agent to make the procedure more comfortable.
Your dental hygienist will perform the procedure in a meticulous manner, taking great care to clean each tooth thoroughly. If your wisdom teeth were previously extracted, that means that 26 tooth pockets may require cleaning. Many times, a certain section of the mouth might be treated during one appointment while the remainder receives treatment in a subsequent appointment.
A certain set of dental tools is employed for the removal of accumulated plaque and tartar, while another set is used for the removal of a fine layer of the tooth root. The goal of the treatment is to close the pockets and allow the gums to snugly fit around the tooth root.
It is important that the dental hygienist remove all accumulations at one time. A given tooth may require numerous instruments to ensure that the treatment is complete.
Aftercare Tips for Scaling & Root Planing
After scaling and root planing, you may experience some level of soreness and sensitivity. Rinsing with warm salt water and taking an over-the-counter pain reliever can help you keep your discomfort under control. You may still brush your teeth like you normally would, but you will need to be gentle while you’re cleaning around the treatment site. During the first 48 hours after the procedure, you should plan on only eating soft foods like yogurt and mashed potatoes.
Antibiotic Treatment
Oftentimes, antibiotic treatment will be recommended in addition to scaling and root planing. The use of antibiotics can further reduce bacterial levels and aid in the reduction of periodontal pockets. There are various types of antibiotics that can be used to treat gum disease; if you talk to our team, they will be able to give you more details about the medication that will be used in your case.
Laser Periodontal Treatment
Depending on how far your gum disease has progressed, we may recommend laser periodontal treatment. Using a state-of-the-art dental laser, our team can precisely remove severely diseased or damaged gum tissue. On top of that, the energy from the laser can help kill harmful bacteria.
