What are some gum disease treatments?

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. This axiom was penned by Benjamin Franklin and is very appropriate when we address treatment for gum disease maple grove minnesota. The best treatment is to literally prevent ever getting the disease. We’ll look quickly at what causes gum disease and then the only ways to get rid of it. Finally, the best methods to prevent it.

What causes Gum Disease?

There are some situations where gum disease if brought on by something you inherited, or a reaction to some oral medications and sometimes even when you smoke. But these three causes don’t hold a candle to the single primary cause, that of bad oral hygiene. Simply put, if you don’t brush your teeth as you should you allow a sticky substance to immediately form on your teeth called plaque. This plaque carries bacteria. A healthy mouth has one to two million bacteria present at all times. By not brushing you allow 10 to 20 million bacteria to stay in your mouth. Once this plaque reaches your gums the soft tissue becomes infected. You’re not alone if you are experiencing gum disease. 47% of American adults over the age of 30 have some level of gum disease.

Level One-Gingivitis

The first stage causes swollen gums that take on a deeper pink color. You will also have bad breath 24-7. The treatment is to remove the plaque. Your dentist will methodically clean your teeth. Since the plaque is in contact with the gums the scaling of the teeth needs to go beneath the gum line. Once the plaque is removed the gums will heal in a matter of days. Sometimes an antibiotic is added to enhance the healing process. This stage is totally reversible.

Level Two-Periodontitis

If the gum disease is allowed to advance the gums now become tender to the touch and will begin to bleed. They will also sag away from the teeth creating pockets that can easily harbor food particles which only accelerates the disease. Now the dentist, or a periodontist, must go deeper with the scaling to remove the plaque. It may include a surgical procedure to do some planning of the roots. There may be bone loss at this point and if you have a loose tooth there may be a mouth guard introduced to allow that tooth and the tissue around it to heal. You could see permanent damage at this point.

Prevention

The health industry strongly suggests you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes at each time. Also, they want to see you floss at least once a day. By doing this simple task you can stay ahead of the plaque and prevent gum disease. The next step is to see your dentist twice a year. These evaluations are good to monitor teeth and gum health and capture regular x-rays to see what is going on below the surface. The will also do a good professional cleaning and even send you home with a new tooth brush every six months.

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