Maintain Healthy, Issue-free Gums with Periodontal Disease Treatment

Tender or swollen gums? Bleeding gums when brushing or flossing teeth? Go to optimal periodontal health with gum disease treatment in Spokane, Washington. Left untreated, gum disease can cause tooth loss and systemic infections.

Do you miss your healthy gums? Schedule an appointment with Stein Family Dentistry for gum disease treatment. Dr. Andy Stein uses a conservative approach to ensure you achieve healthy, infection-free gums.

How does gum disease develop?

Gum or periodontal disease is a common oral condition that affects the gums, jawbone, and surrounding tissues. Although hormonal changes and suppressed immunity can cause gum disease, the primary cause is plaque (oral biofilm). This sticky, colorless film builds up in the mouth due to poor oral hygiene.

The bacteria within plaque inflame the gums, causing gingivitis—the earliest form of gum disease. If left untreated, gingivitis advances to periodontitis, where the gums pull away (recede) from the teeth, causing deep periodontal pockets. These deep pockets become perfect hiding spots for tartar and harmful bacteria, and your home dental tools can do little to clean them.

Periodontal disease is unforgiving if you don’t take prompt care. When you don’t address periodontitis, it advances and destroys the teeth-supporting structures, causing tooth loss. Worse yet, the infection can seep into the bloodstream, increasing the risk of heart disease, respiratory problems, diabetes, and other systemic complications.

Is gum disease treatable?

Gum disease is easily treatable in its earliest stage. It takes standard cleanings and good oral hygiene to reverse gingivitis. However, you need more than good oral hygiene when you have moderate to severe gum disease. In such cases, Dr. Stein will recommend deep teeth cleaning, which involves the following procedures.

  • Scaling: The dentist uses special tools and skills to eliminate unhealthy deposits (plaque and tartar) from the deep periodontal pockets. Scaling is more thorough than standard cleanings. It may involve more than one visit, and the dentist uses local anesthetics to ensure a comfortable dental experience.
  • Root planing: Rough surfaces on your tooth roots will likely attract plaque and harmful bacteria. Root planing smoothes these areas to create a healthy, clean surface. Planing also encourages gums to reattach to the teeth to restore periodontal health.

Although rare, some patients may need periodontal surgery, especially if they don’t respond to non-surgical deep teeth cleaning. Surgical interventions include grafting techniques, gum flap surgery, and implant surgery. No matter the case, our dental team will walk with you until you achieve optimal periodontal health.

Can I prevent gum disease?

Although we can treat periodontal disease, the best strategy is to prevent it. Prevention is less costly and doesn’t cause unnecessary pain.

Observe the following tips to maintain healthy gums.

  • Brush and floss twice every day
  • Consider a medicated mouthwash
  • Quit smoking
  • Eat a balanced diet and reduce the intake of sugary foods
  • Manage conditions that can weaken your immunity (stress, diabetes, HIV/AIDs, etc.)
  • Visit your dentist regularly for cleanings and check-ups
  • Treat crooked and missing teeth

Do you need gum disease treatment?

Sore, bleeding, and chronic bad breath? Stop all at once with gum disease treatment in Spokane, WA—call (509) 463-1770 to reserve an appointment with Stein Family Dentistry. We can’t wait to help you recover your healthy gums.