Gum Disease Treatment in Payson, UT

Gum disease is a common condition that affects millions of people every year in the United States. The condition begins in its earliest stages with benign symptoms such as inflamed, tender gums but can quickly progress to more serious damage. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of adult tooth loss. At Gunnerson Dental in Payson, UT, the health of your gums is important to us.  We take a proactive approach to periodontal care and offer a range of solutions to help restore your oral health.

What does gum disease look like

The top contributing factor to the development of gum disease is inadequate oral hygiene. Brushing twice a day, flossing, and maintaining routine dental visits are the best ways to preventing gum disease from occurring in the first place. The early symptoms of gum disease are typically swollen, red gums that may be tender or bleed when brushing. Chronic bad breath can also be a sign of gum disease. As the disease progresses, you may notice pockets developing where the gum tissue has pulled away from the teeth, teeth that appear elongated, or loose teeth.

Prevent gum disease with good oral hygiene and regular dental visits.

How gum disease occurs, the symptoms, the results, and how it can be tackled before it progresses are all explained in this informative video. Call Gunnerson Dental at 801-658-0102 if you need help fighting gum disease in Payson, UT.Gum disease

Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Mindy with Gunnerson dental. Today I would like to talk to you about gum disease. Gingivitis occurs when bacteria in plaque are causing irritation to the gums, causing them to be red, tender, and inflamed, and likely bleed. The treatment for gingivitis is for hygienist to remove the plaque, so it doesn’t harden into calculus, also known as tartar. Periodontitis occurs when plaque and calculus build up along the gum line and bacteria in the plaque begins to breakdown the supporting soft tissues and the tooth. As the disease progresses, the bacteria will attack bone tissue as well, resulting in bone loss. In advanced periodontitis, the gums can pull away from the teeth. As bone loss occurs and periodontal ligament is destroyed. Teeth may become loose and need to be extracted. We recommend regular preventive care visits so we can monitor your oral health and if you have periodontal disease, we can help you get out of active disease and into a monitoring phase where we hope to prevent more bone loss and disease progression.

Why it is important to treat gum disease

When left untreated, gum disease can cause irreversible damage to the oral structures. Catching the condition early during routine dental visits is important to halt its progress and prevent problems such as gum recession and tooth loss. Additionally, research has shown that advanced gum disease can lead to an increase in the risk of other serious medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

How gum disease is treated

Treatment for gum disease depends on the stage of the condition. At Gunnerson Dental, we personalize our gum disease treatment plans to every patient to restore oral health.

In its earliest stage called gingivitis, treatment generally consists of an improvement in oral hygiene and periodontal maintenance – more frequent professional teeth cleanings to remove plaque and bacteria build-up.

If the gum tissue has begun to separate from the teeth and bacteria have become trapped in the periodontal pockets, we will recommend a professional deep-cleaning procedure called scaling and root planing. During this treatment, we remove any tartar and plaque that is stuck below the gum line down to the root and then smooth it out so that the gum tissue can re-seal itself to the teeth.

Other treatments such as oral and topical antibiotics may be needed. If there has been tooth loss as a result of gum disease, restorations are available to replace the missing teeth.

If you think you may be showing some of the signs of gum disease, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible. If you are in the Payson, UT area, please call Gunnerson Dental at (801) 658-0175.