San Antonio Gum Disease Treatment
Many people focus only on their teeth while overlooking the importance of their gum health. In reality, the health of your teeth and gums go hand-in-hand. Preventative care can help you maintain the health of your gums. We also offer various treatments to help restore gum health.
Gum Disease FAQ
What is Gingivitis?
Gingivitis occurs when plague and bacteria build up to cause an infection below the gumline. If your gums are sore, swollen, or bleeding, these are potential signs of gingivitis. Untreated gingivitis can lead to more serious and permanent consequences, such as gum recession, where your gums pull away from your teeth. Proactive care and proper hygiene can help prevent and remedy this condition.
What is Periodontitis?
Periodontitis is a serious infection of the gums that results in bone loss around your teeth. As the bone around them deteriorates, teeth can become loose. In fact, periodontitis is the main cause of tooth loss among adults. Many things can lead to periodontitis, including smoking, poor oral hygiene, and systemic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Proactive care and proper hygiene can help prevent and remedy this condition.
How is Gum Disease Treated?
Gum disease treatment requires a three-pronged approach.
- Proper at-home care is your first line of defense. Bluebonnet Family Dental will teach you about proper brushing and flossing techniques and will discuss any specialty devices and/or oral rinses that might fit your needs.
- Routine cleanings and examinations can monitor the health of your gums and bone to help catch gum disease before it worsens.
- If gum disease is detected, we might recommend additional deep cleanings of the roots of your teeth. These deep cleanings – known as scaling and root planning – involve numbing the gum tissue so that our hygiene team can painlessly remove plague below the gum line. With this level of cleaning, more frequent cleaning and monitoring (every 3-4 months) is recommended.