We will do our part to help you maintain healthy gums all through life. Because we take that job seriously, we wanted to talk about the dangers of gum disease today. Keep reading to hear more about it, and then give us a call at 952-679-1365 to request your next appointment at our Bloomington, MN dentist’s office.

Keeping Gum Disease At Bay

Your preventive dentistry hygiene routine mostly happens at home. Every day you need to be brushing your teeth for two minutes at a stretch. This is a start for preventing gum disease since brushing will remove lots of surface bacteria that can cause it to begin. Flossing daily is crucial as well. Cleaning between your teeth is necessary since your toothbrush can’t reach those spaces between your teeth and gums. Visit our office every 3-6 months for a preventive checkup exam and professional teeth cleaning is another important step. If we notice that you are exhibiting signs of gum disease, we’ll be able to spring into action early enough to make a difference.

Detecting Gum Disease

Usually it takes a professional eye to spot a problem. Still, here are some warning signs to watch for, broken down by progressive stages:

Gingivitis

This is the earliest level of gum disease, and it’s symptoms are relatively mild.

Your gums may appear more red than usual. Your gums may also seem to be somewhat swollen. Plus, your gums may bleed when you brush or floss. 

Periodontitis

Periodontitis (aka periodontal disease) is the more advanced form of gum disease. Its symptoms are more noticeable too. The warning signs include gums that bleed easily and feel tender, ongoing bad breath or a weird taste in your mouth, gums that seem to be separating from your teeth, and teeth that feel loose.

Fighting Gum Disease

When you see any symptoms of gum disease, we can help. We prefer to use non-surgical treatments for gum disease when we can. One way we do this is with scaling and root planing.

If you’ve had a professional dental cleaning, then you will understand scaling and root planing. This is similar to what happens during a routine visit, only we clean deeper to remove plaque and tartar build-up around the roots of your teeth.

In some cases, we may recommend follow-up treatment that you can do at home to reduce your risk of a recurring periodontal infection. In more serious cases, we may need to look at more advanced treatments. After all, gum disease is the #1 cause of tooth loss in adults!

Call Today To Get Back On Track

With the new year almost here, there couldn’t be a better time to get your oral health back on track. We hope you have been inspired to call our Bloomington, MN dental office today at 952-679-1365 or contact us online to request an easy appointment at Weddell Dental. We can explore gum disease prevention and/or treatment options.