At Mangrove Bay Dentistry in Tampa, Florida, Dr. Toan Tran and our registered dental hygienists are dedicated to thoroughly protecting your periodontal health with professional prophylactic cleanings and expert treatment techniques to treat gum inflammation.
Gum disease is a progressive condition that begins with mild gum inflammation called "gingivitis". When caught early, gingivitis can be easily treated. Left untreated, gingivitis can advance into a more severe infection below the gum line. This stage of inflammation is called "periodontitis." Though periodontitis affects over 75% of the population, it can still be effectively treated. Without treatment, periodontitis can progress to a severe stage, causing tooth loss and bone damage.
Chronic infection in the gums destroys gum tissue, tooth ligaments, and bone tissue. Teeth may become loose, and bacteria in gum pockets will erode protective dental enamel. The resulting dental decay perforates the enamel and allows bacteria to reach nerve tissue, causing serious issues and painful nerve damage. This can often require root canal treatment, dental crowns, or tooth extraction to fix. If a tooth is extracted or falls out due to periodontitis, gum treatment is still needed to reduce bacteria, get infection under control, and save other teeth. Prior to restoring damaged teeth or replacing lost teeth, gum infection must be treated.
The signs of gum disease can be small and easy to miss at first, so it's important that you know what to look for. Some of the common symptoms of periodontal disease can include:
At Mangrove Bay Dentistry, maintaining your oral health is our first priority. If you have gum disease, we will provide more frequent dental cleanings and advanced treatment until the inflammation is under control. Recommended treatment for your periodontal disease will depend on the severity of your infection.
In the case of mild to moderate periodontal disease, we will focus on eliminating the bacterial infection with more frequent dental cleanings and specific oral home care instructions. Sometimes a periodontal scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) is needed to remove bacterial plaque and hardened calculus below the gum line, as well as to smooth the dental enamel encasing the dental roots. We may also recommend treatment of gum pockets with antimicrobial medication. If you have developed periodontitis and require this treatment, we will schedule an appointment for you as quickly as possible. Your gum tissue will be fully numbed during this procedure to maximize your comfort.
If your gum infection has become severe, you may need surgical periodontal treatment to halt the infection. If this is needed, Dr. Tran will refer you to a preferred specialist in our community and collaborate with this specialist in planning your treatment course.
Gum disease is primarily caused by poor oral hygiene that allows bacteria to remain on the teeth, irritating and infecting surrounding gum tissue. Plaque is a form of bacteria that sticks to the surfaces of your teeth, and calculus (tartar) is dental plaque that has hardened with minerals in the saliva and gum tissue fluid. By brushing and flossing twice daily, most patients can control the buildup of plaque for weeks and possibly even a few months. However, within about three months, even the most diligent oral care can't prevent the development of plaque along the gum line and between your teeth. If plaque is allowed to harden to calculus, it unfortunately cannot be removed by brushing and flossing - even with good oral hygiene, tartar is likely to build up within six months. This is why regular preventative teeth cleaning in a dental office is so important for every patient. We'll remove tartar and plaque during your routine dental cleaning, while also smoothing and polishing your teeth so plaque development is minimized.
In addition to dental plaque and tartar, there are other factors that increase your risk of developing gum disease. Some of the most common risk factors for periodontitis include tobacco use, diabetes, crowded teeth, hormonal changes, a diet high in sugar and other simple carbohydrates, cancer treatment, some medications, stress, and excessive mouth breathing.
At Mangrove Bay Dentistry in Tampa, we provide you with the quality oral health care you deserve, including regular teeth cleanings, dental checkups, periodontal treatment, and restorative care.
We evaluate each patient for gingivitis and advanced gum disease every time they come in for a professional dental cleaning or dental check-up. Every individual starting at age one should have a dental exam and a professional teeth cleaning at least every six months. If you are overdue for a cleaning and/or exam, we are here to help make sure your oral health is maintained. By doing so, you can minimize gum disease, dental decay, and restorative dental treatment throughout your lifetime.
Contact us today to schedule your gum disease consultation! Call (813) 544-6778.
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