Danville Gum Disease Treatment
About Periodontal Disease
The word periodontal means “around the tooth”. Periodontal disease attacks the gums and the bone that support the teeth. Plaque is a sticky film of food debris, bacteria, and saliva. If plaque is not removed, it turns into calculus (tartar). When plaque and calculus are not removed, they begin to destroy the gums and bone. Periodontal disease is characterized by red, swollen, and bleeding gums.
Four out of five people have periodontal disease and don’t know it! Most people are not aware of it because the disease is usually painless in the early stages.
Not only is it the number one reason for tooth loss, research suggests that there may be a link between periodontal disease and other diseases such as, stroke, bacterial pneumonia, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk during pregnancy. Researchers are determining if inflammation and bacteria associated with periodontal disease affects these systemic diseases and conditions. Smoking also increases the risk of periodontal disease.
Good oral hygiene, a balanced diet, and regular dental visits can help reduce your risk of developing periodontal disease.
Call Dr. Pescatore at (925) 362-9330 to have healthy gums for a lifetime!
Treating Periodontal Gum Disease
Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the type and severity of the disease. Your dentist and dental hygienist will evaluate for periodontal disease and recommend the appropriate treatment.
Periodontal disease progresses as the sulcus (pocket or space) between the tooth and gums gets filled with bacteria, plaque, and tartar, causing irritation to the surrounding tissues. When these irritants remain in the pocket space, they can cause damage to the gums and eventually, the bone that supports the teeth!
If the disease is caught in the early stages of gingivitis, and no damage has been done, one to two regular cleanings will be recommended. You will also be given instructions on improving your daily oral hygiene habits and having regular dental cleanings.
If the disease has progressed to more advanced stages, a special periodontal cleaning called scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) will be recommended. It is usually done one quadrant of the mouth at a time while the area is numb. In this procedure, tartar, plaque, and toxins are removed from above and below the gum line (scaling) and rough spots on root surfaces are made smooth (planing). This procedure helps gum tissue to heal and pockets to shrink. Medications, special medicated mouth rinses, and an electric tooth brush may be recommended to help control infection and healing.
If the pockets do not heal after scaling and root planing, periodontal surgery may be needed to reduce pocket depths, making teeth easier to clean. Your dentist may also recommend that you see a Periodontist (specialist of the gums and supporting bone).
Treating Gum Disease With Perio Protect
The Perio Protect Method® is an effective, sensible approach to treat bacteria that cause gum disease.
If you have ever had painful gums, bleeding gums, or both, than this is an efficient alternative gum treatment for you. In many cases, this natural periodontal treatment can also be an alternative to gum surgery.
About Perio Protect
At the heart of the Method is the adjunctive Perio Tray® delivery of medication. The basic idea is to get medication under the gums and into the pockets where bacteria grow and keep it there long enough for the medication to work, all in a comfortable, non-invasive way. Not a simple task. That’s why the Perio Tray is such an important advancement.
The Perio Tray is easy to use. You put the medication into the trays, wear the trays at home as instructed by your dentist and, well, that’s it, until you return to the dentist for a recall visit. It’s comfortable, it works well, and it’s convenient. The Perio Protect Method’s combination of Perio Tray delivery with thorough cleanings from a dental office is the least invasive approach available, and research shows better results than cleaning alone.
Perio Trays are custom fit for individual use. They have a special seal and extension system that correspond to the conditions of the gums around each tooth. The seals and extensions help direct and maintain medication under the gums to the site of the infected wounds. For most people, treatment time amounts to minutes each day. As healing occurs and conditions improve, dentists will modify your frequency and duration of usage, gradually decreasing patient usage until the infection is under control and the disease is well managed. You can then follow a homecare maintenance schedule to keep the bacteria at bay.
For research articles and case studies on the Perio Tray delivery of medication, click here.
Signs and symptoms of periodontal disease:
Diagnosing Gum Disease
Periodontal disease is diagnosed by your dentist or dental hygienist during a periodontal examination. This type of exam should always be part of your regular dental check-up.
A periodontal probe (small dental instrument) is gently used to measure the sulcus (pocket or space) between the tooth and the gums. The depth of a healthy sulcus measures three millimeters or less and does not bleed. The periodontal probe helps indicate if pockets are deeper than three millimeters. As periodontal disease progresses, the pockets usually get deeper.
Your dentist or hygienist will use pocket depths, amount of bleeding, inflammation, tooth mobility, etc., to make a diagnosis that will fall into a category below:
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontal disease. Plaque and its toxin by-products irritate the gums, making them tender, inflamed, and likely to bleed.
Periodontitis
Plaque hardens into calculus (tartar). As calculus and plaque continue to build up, the gums begin to recede from the teeth. Deeper pockets form between the gums and teeth and become filled with bacteria and pus. The gums become very irritated, inflamed, and bleed easily. Slight to moderate bone loss may be present.
Advanced Periodontitis
The teeth lose more support as the gums, bone, and periodontal ligament continue to be destroyed. Unless treated, the affected teeth will become very loose and may be lost. Generalized moderate to severe bone loss may be present.
Contact Dr. Pescatore and Schedule a Periodontal Exam