Treating Gum Disease in Bryn Mawr

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is commonly known as gum disease, and it’s an infection or inflammation of the gum tissue in your mouth. The first stage of this disease is called gingivitis, and this is the only stage that has a cure. At our offices in Bryn Mawr, our dentists will treat gum disease to help each patient maintain and restore their oral health.

What Are the Causes of Gingivitis?

Gum disease is usually a result of poor oral hygiene, where you don’t floss or brush regularly. If you don’t, a bacteria-laden, sticky substance builds up on the surface of your teeth. This plaque will eventually harden and form tartar, and this inflames and irritates your gum tissue. Even though the best way to avoid issues is to prevent gingivitis, it's also treatable. If the gums start to pull away from the tooth as the infection gets worse, this will lessen the support. Gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in Americans over 35.

What Are the Most Common Gum Disease Symptoms?

Gum disease can be present for years without causing any issues. However, when common gum disease symptoms start showing up, you can experience the following:

• Red, puffy, or sensitive gums
• Unusual taste or bad breath
• Bleeding gums when you floss or brush

What Are the Common Signs of Gingivitis?

Your dentist will know you have gum disease when they spot the following signs of gum disease in your mouth:

• Swollen tissues
• Gums that pull away from the tooth's base
• Unusual gaps between the teeth or loose teeth
• Visible pus between your gums and teeth
• Inflammation pockets at your gums' base

What Are the Stages of Gum Disease?

If you start experiencing gingivitis symptoms, it can come in stages. The longer you let it go untreated, the further it can advance and the worse it’ll get. The three stages of gum disease include:

Gingivitis

During the beginning stages, you may see minor bleeding when you floss or brush, unusually without experiencing pain. When you only have these mild gingivitis symptoms, you have the best chances of getting a complete gingivitis cure. Our skilled dentists can help with gingivitis treatment by identifying the early signs of gingivitis and helping you manage them so it doesn’t progress.

Periodontitis

If you don’t address your signs of gingivitis, it’ll progress to periodontitis. At this stage, the supporting tissue and bone in your jaw get permanently damaged. Periodontal pockets form in your gums and trap plaque and food, and this encourages bacterial growth, making the condition progress faster. You’ll need more aggressive treatment methods for periodontal disease in Bryn Mawr to help treat the advanced gingivitis symptoms you experience.

Advanced Periodontitis

This is the final stage of gum disease, and it impacts the tissues and bones that support your teeth by destroying them. Once you develop advanced periodontal disease in Bryn Mawr, your teeth may loosen, shift, or come out. Reversing gum disease while it’s in the earlier stages can help avoid this serious condition.

Is There a Gum Disease Cure?

The earlier our staff diagnoses you, the easier it will be to come up with a gingivitis cure. Early gum disease treatment includes an oral hygiene routine and scheduling cleaning twice a year. With a bit of diligence and care, a gingivitis cure is possible. To figure out if you’re suffering from the early stages of gum disease, contact our office to schedule an evaluation.

What is Advanced Periodontitis and Gingivitis Treatment?

When routine treatments aren’t enough, we’ll come up with a plan for more aggressive gingivitis treatment options that may include professional-grade scaling and root planing below your gum line. We may also prescribe antibacterial mouth rinse and antibiotic treatments. We may refer you to a specialist called a periodontist. In extreme instances, you may need gum surgery. It’s important to get professional-grade treatment for your issue before you experience complications.

How Do You Reverse Gum Disease in Bryn Mawr?

It may be possible to get a gingivitis cure by yourself, but when you schedule regular visits to your dentist for cleanings and checkups, your chances of successfully reversing it increase. Our dentists can help diagnose and treat gum disease in Bryn Mawr and save your smile. Don’t ignore your early warning signs and lose out on reversing gum disease; call us to book an appointment today.