Thanks to gum disease treatment, people with gingivitis or periodontitis can reverse or at least manage the symptoms of their condition. The early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis, can be reversed by getting your teeth cleaned by a dentist and improving your oral hygiene. The more advanced stages of gum disease are not reversible, but they can be managed.
A dental cleaning can be used to treat the first stage of gum disease. Getting teeth cleaned regularly and improving oral hygiene is often enough to reverse gingivitis. The dentist will educate the patient about how to improve their oral hygiene during the cleaning.
This treatment is often recommended for those who have more advanced gum disease. The dentist uses a tool to remove tartar and plaque from teeth surfaces. This process is called scaling. The dentist will then smooth out the roots of the patient's teeth, which makes it easier for the gums to be reattached after the procedure.
The dentist might prescribe medication or antibiotics to help control the infection and reduce discomfort during the recovery period. Depending on the severity of the patient's condition, the dentist might insert medication into the gum pockets or prescribe an antibacterial mouthwash.
If a deep cleaning is not enough to manage a patient's advanced gum disease, a surgical procedure might be recommended. During the surgery, the dentist will pull the patient's gums away from the teeth roots and remove tartar and plaque. The gums are stitched back into place afterward.
Surgical procedures can also be used to reduce gum pockets.
Once a patient's periodontitis is brought under control, oral hygiene and regular cleanings become even more important. The dentist will typically perform a more extensive type of cleaning if the patient has a past history of gum disease. The cleanings help eliminate plaque and tartar buildup.
People who have advanced gum disease should be prepared to visit a dentist more often. The issues caused by gum disease, like gum pockets, make it harder to remove plaque from teeth surfaces. The dentist will come up with a treatment plan that is effective for the patient. Once the patient's gums are healthy, fewer dental visits will be required to keep them that way.
Some patients might be prescribed medication that helps them manage the discomfort caused by their infection or the infection itself. It is not uncommon for patients to experience increased sensitivity to hot and cold foods after getting gum disease treatment. That typically goes away in a few weeks.
The longer you wait to have gum disease treated, the more invasive the treatments will be, and it might even become a permanent condition. Talk to a dentist if you have any symptoms of gum disease.
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