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Keep your gums healthy
Periodontal disease treatment
Healthy gums are essential for strong teeth. So if you suspect you have periodontal (gum) disease in Baltimore, it’s important to get help from an experienced dentist like Dr. Dawn Merguerian right away. Learn more about periodontal disease treatment below, or contact Waterfront Dental for a consultation now.
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Understand the Basics
What is Gum disease?
Periodontal disease, which is also commonly called gum disease, is a result of poor oral hygiene. Improper brushing and flossing allow bacteria-filled plaque to build up between the teeth and gums.
Over time, this calcifies into tartar, and the bacteria between your gums and teeth will attack the gum tissue, causing it to swell and become inflamed. Eventually, gum disease results in permanent damage to your gums and teeth.
Recognizing the signs
of Periodontal Disease
Common signs of early periodontal disease (gingivitis) include bleeding when brushing or flossing, bad breath (halitosis), inflammation and swelling of the gums, and gum tenderness and discoloration.
Later stages of gum disease have much more severe signs and symptoms. Your gums may recede, making your teeth look longer. You may notice a foul taste in your mouth and experience pain and discomfort when chewing. In severe cases, your teeth may even start to loosen or fit together differently. If you notice any of these above symptoms, you need to get help from a dentist like Dr. Dawn Merguerian right away.
The Stages
of Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is usually broken into 3 distinct stages. The first stage is gingivitis. In this stage of gum disease, your gums will be swollen and inflamed, but there is no permanent damage done to your teeth or gums. Gingivitis is completely reversible if it’s caught in time.
If you don’t get treatment, your gingivitis will worsen, and become periodontitis. In this stage of gum disease, permanent damage is done to your gums and teeth, and the infection can no longer be completely eliminated. However, it is possible to halt its progression and keep your mouth healthy with proper periodontal care.
The final stage is called “advanced periodontitis.” In this stage of the disease, your gums and the support structures of your teeth are seriously compromised. Oral surgery may be necessary to restore your smile. In many cases, it will not be possible to save your teeth. You may need to have most or all of your teeth removed and replaced with dental implants or dentures.
Your Custom Treatment Plan
For Periodontal Care
Depending on your condition and the extent of your gum disease, your treatment plan may consist of better at-home oral hygiene, deep cleaning (scaling & root planing), and antibiotic treatment from Dr. Dawn Merguerian.
A deep cleaning (scaling & root planing) is often enough to treat mild to moderate cases of gum disease. In this procedure, Dr. Merguerian will use specialized dental tools to scrape bacteria and plaque away from between your teeth and gums, and to smooth out the roots of your teeth to eliminate bacteria. This treatment takes two appointments, since half of your mouth is cleaned during each appointment at Waterfront Dental.
If you have a more severe case of gum disease, further treatment like surgical intervention may be necessary. To learn more and get a custom treatment plan for gum disease in Baltimore, contact Waterfront Dental right away for an appointment with Dr. Merguerian.
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