With periodontal care, we can provide treatment to manage periodontal disease and to even correct gum recession. The right treatments can help stop discomfort and even help you avoid long-term issues like tooth loss! In today’s blog, your Celina, TX, dentist talks about saving your smile with periodontal care.
The Causes of Periodontal Disease
How does periodontal disease form in a smile? The issue starts when the gums become inflamed. Inflammation, also known as gingivitis, could develop due to factors like plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums. Plaque and tartar buildup could be caused by factors like poor and infrequent brushing and flossing, or the excessive consumption of sugar and starch. A lack of routine dental cleanings could also be a factor, as this allows plaque and tartar to remain in place to irritate and inflame the tissues.
If you have an inflammatory illness, such as diabetes, this could also be a factor. A family history of poor gum health could lead to trouble, too, as could the use of tobacco products, such as cigarettes and vaping. As part of your treatment, we will carefully examine your smile and assess the cause and severity of the disease, so we can choose the best treatment options to bring relief and keep your smile whole.
The Warning Signs
How do you know if you need treatment? If you attend regular checkup and cleaning visits every six months, then we could catch the issue in the earliest stages of inflammation and reverse gingivitis. But you should schedule an appointment for an exam if you notice any changes to your gums, such as redness, soreness, bleeding, or even recession, which could make teeth appear longer than usual. Swelling is also a concern and could accompany your sensitivity. When you have signs of trouble, you need treatment to manage the disease and prevent the periodontitis stage, which is linked to worsening pain and even adult tooth loss. In fact, gum disease is the number one cause of adult tooth loss! But we want to offer periodontal care to keep your smile intact and beautiful for years to come.
Deep Cleanings
One major component of our approach to periodontal care is the use of a deep cleaning, also known as a scaling and root planing. With this procedure, we will be able to gently and thoroughly remove all harmful plaque and tartar from the teeth, exposed roots, and from beneath the gums. The process uses the same tools as a scaling, but is more thorough and could take multiple visits to complete. We will numb your smile beforehand to ensure your comfort, and will polish the areas where we remove plaque and tartar to help limit how much buildup can reform before you see us again. We will typically follow the deep cleaning with a traditional cleaning every three to four months to control buildup and inflammation, managing the issue to keep your smile full and healthy.
Gum Grafts
What if your gums have receded due to disease, exposing sensitive portions of the roots? If this happens, it alters the appearance of your smile. Leading to negative impacts. The exposed roots are also not protected by enamel, so the risk of tooth decay and infection is much higher, as is the risk of attachment loss and periodontitis, which could lead to loose and missing teeth.
Once we manage the disease itself, we can discuss gum grafting to cover the exposed portions and protect the health, beauty, and function of your smile. The process involves taking tissue from other parts of your mouth’s interior, using these to cover the exposed portions of the roots. We then shape the new gum line to ensure proper symmetry and a beautiful smile.
Managing Your Disease
Along with routine care in our office, you can improve your periodontal care from home. For example, try to avoid sugary and starch-rich foods, which could feed bacteria and create buildup. Make sure you brush and floss daily to remove harmful particles from on and between your teeth, and alone the gum line. Try to eat healthy snacks and avoid tobacco products too! If you have any questions about how we protect the health and stability of your smile with periodontal care, or if you have sore and bleeding gums that need attention, then please reach out to our office today to get started. We want to help your smile remain healthy and strong in 2026 and beyond!
Celina Family Dentistry Offers Periodontal Care
We would like to help you avoid the onset of gum disease. To protect your smile from discomfort and tooth loss, please call Celina Family Dentistry in Celina, TX at (214) 851-0130 today.
