Vital gums are as essential to oral and overall wellness as healthy teeth. The team at Patel and Dornhecker Dentistry helps patients in Fairfield Township, Cincinnati, and surrounding communities develop home care regimens, complimented by regular dental visits, to prevent, treat, and manage gum disease.
Silent Enemy
In its initial stages, gum disease is easy to ignore as there is no pain and few symptoms. However, your body is fighting an infection, about the size of your fist, 24/7/365. Common signs that gum disease is developing may include a sore mouth, jaw pain, toothaches, and bleeding of the gums when brushing and flossing.
Bacteria flourish in the warm, moist environment of the mouth, multiplying in a sticky film of plaque that hardens into tartar at the gum line. Bacteria feed on sugars and starches in food debris. As they eat, they produce acidic waste that irritates gum tissue. At this phase, called gingivitis, gums appear puffy and discolored, and may bleed when brushing.
Without professional care, gingivitis progresses to periodontitis. Gums lose the seal to the teeth, which allows bacteria to infiltrate deeper. Inflammation and infection weakens ligaments and bone that hold teeth in place. Eventually teeth loosen, and fall out or require extraction.
Bacteria that cause gum disease are linked to:
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Osteoporosis
- Respiratory disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Some types of cancer
Treatment and Maintenance
The best treatment for gum disease is prevention. It starts with a thorough cleaning and checkup, and continues at home with daily brushing and flossing; healthy diet, and lifestyle.
When gum disease exists, scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning technique, is in order. We use special instruments to remove accumulations of plaque and tartar below the gum line. Then pockets are sanitized, promoting healing and sealing. We may recommend more frequent checkups to keep gum disease under control.
Schedule an appointment at our Fairfield office (513) 815-3166 or in Bridgetown (513) 815-3188 to get started on your personalized program of gum fitness.
