Millions of Americans suffer from periodontal disease. Expert gum treatment in San Diego is here – at Gentle Dentistry – to bring you the best solutions and treatments to eliminate any conditions you may suffer from.

How Periodontics Are Treated?

After a thorough examination, our dentist will determine the source of the problem and the best course of treatment. We recommend that all of our patients look for indicators of gum disease and if suspected, to schedule an appointment immediately. The sooner we can arrest the progress of the disease the less complex the procedures required to heal the gums.

The first step is a complete deep cleaning. By removing plaque and tartar from the teeth and gums, the gums will start to heal naturally. Plaque found only around the edge of the gum line requires only a basic teeth cleaning. If plaque becomes trapped between the gums and teeth, scaling and root planing procedure will be required. In this case, the dentist will need to remove the plaque from the teeth under the gums.

When gums have receded significantly, surgery is required. In such cases gum grafts are helpful. By taking tissue from the roof of the mouth or another area and grafting it to the gums, the gum tissue regenerates. The gums are then secured around the tooth to protect it and the roots. If bone loss has occurred, a bone graft may be needed to restore and strengthen the tooth. In this procedure natural or synthetic bone is placed in the compromised area, forming a matrix around which new bone growth can occur.

These procedures, singly or in combination can help to both heal and restore your gums. To find out which procedures are necessary for you, call to schedule a consultation with our dentist. Before resorting to the more significant procedures we may start with a deep cleaning to see if that is sufficient treatment. If recovery is not forthcoming we will advise additional procedures as needed for an optimum outcome.

How To Keep Gums Healthy

Gum disease is one of the easiest preventative ailments. With a few simple steps, you can keep yourself from becoming the adverse effect of periodontitis. We recommend these simple steps: brush your teeth after each meal, floss daily and rinse your mouth at night with an antiseptic mouthwash.

This will help remove bacteria and sugar from teeth and gums before they turn to plaque. We also recommend a healthy diet low in sugar as this helps keep your gums healthy. At Gentle Dentistry, our periodontics specialists recommend having your teeth cleaned professionally at least twice a year so we can remove plaque and tartar from hard to reach places, ensuring that your gums remain healthy.