Diseases of the gums, the tissues surrounding and holding the teeth in place, are known as periodontal diseases. The most common is gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums due to infection, but there are other forms of periodontal disease as well. These diseases often begin quietly, with little visible damage to the teeth or gums. In fact, you may be completely unaware that you have any form of periodontal disease until it has advanced to a late stage.

Often, periodontal disease begins with a simple cavity, unsuspected, which leads to infection at the center of a tooth. From there, infection may spread to the gums, resulting in periodontal disease. Other periodontal diseases may result from infections of the gums which have few visible symptoms. If they are left to progress untreated, periodontal diseases can lead to permanent tooth damage and tooth loss. Periodontal diseases can even cause illnesses affecting other parts of the body, due to bacteria released into the bloodstream from the gums.

Do you have bleeding or swollen gums? Contact your local periodontist and receive the treatments you need as soon as possible.

Local Periodontist

Your local periodontist will examine your teeth and gums and recommend treatments that will halt the progress of periodontal disease with a minimum of uncomfortable, invasive techniques. If periodontal disease is not well-advanced, most treatments are painless and simple, involving antibiotics or other drugs which may be taken to halt the spread of infection, and possibly deep-cleaning techniques to remove plaque at the gum line; this prevents the incursion of bacteria under the gums. Sometimes, bacteria has already invaded the deep tissues of the gums, but even in the cases of well-advanced periodontal diseases, there are options which can give good results and restore your oral and overall health. It is important to catch periodontal disease early, as this not only gives you a better chance of successful periodontal treatment, but allows the dentist to treat your problem without the necessity of surgery or other invasive procedures. Regular checkups and routine care will allow you to prevent periodontal disease or halt it in its early stages, so it is also important to treat any cavities or infections as soon as they are discovered, even if they are not painful or causing you discomfort.

If you have gum disease, contact your local periodontist immediately before the disease has spread and damaged your teeth.