Gum Disease Treatment – DFW Metroplex
Dealing With Your Gums’ Infection
Though teeth are crucial to oral health, gums are just as important; these tissues cause many issues when they get inflamed or infected. Thankfully, Bear Creek Family Dentistry offers gum disease treatment in the DFW Metroplex. We'll gladly heal your damaged gums, ensuring they keep your smile strong and safe! Our team will even share the relevant details on how that process works. So, please keep reading or book your visit to our office today!
Why Choose Bear Creek Family Dentistry for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Experienced & Skilled Dental Hygienists
- Rest & Relax During Treatment
- Dental Insurance Accepted
What is Gum Disease?
In essence, gum disease is an infection of your gums – the soft mouth tissues around your teeth. The condition often stems from plaque buildup, usually due to poor eating, bad oral care, etc. Other factors like genetics, hormones, and tobacco use can also make it likely to occur.
Gum disease has two stages of progression: gingivitis and periodontitis. The first refers to mild gum inflammation, which is often irritating but not severe. Meanwhile, the second stage – periodontitis – is a full-blown infection that attacks jaw and gum tissue. While gingivitis can be reversed with good oral care, periodontitis can only be managed.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
Since gum disease has two distinct stages, it can cause a wide range of symptoms. Which signs you show will depend on your infection’s severity, progress, etc.
For example, consider a case of gingivitis. This early form of gum disease has (relatively) mild symptoms, including:
- Chronic bad breath (i.e., halitosis)
- Gum tenderness
- Swollen gums
- Red, bleeding gums
- Gum recession
On the other hand, periodontitis has fairly harsh symptoms that make big impacts. The most common of these are:
- A shift in your bite
- Changes in your restoration’s fit
- Tooth sensitivity (often due to gum recession)
- Chewing pain
- Loose permanent teeth
- Permanent tooth loss
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
Before we settle your treatment options, one of our dentists will give you a thorough oral exam. Doing so lets us check the overall severity of your gum disease. Once the dentist settles their findings, they’ll then suggest possible procedures like:
Scaling & Root Planing
Viewed as the traditional solution for gum disease, scaling and root planing is a two-step "deep cleaning" of your gums. The initial “scaling” removes plaque from your teeth (their roots included) to reduce harmful bacteria in your mouth. It’s then followed by “root planing,” which smooths your dental roots to ensure your gums healthily reattach to them. This second step also makes it harder for plaque to build up in the future, reducing your risk of re-infection.