Periodontal Treatment Specialist

What is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of your gums caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar on your teeth. Periodontal disease happens in two stages:

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the earliest stage of periodontal disease. In gingivitis, the bacteria found in plaque tartar irritates and inflames your gums, causing them to bleed when you brush or floss. If gingivitis is left untreated, it can develop into periodontitis.

Periodontitis

In periodontitis, your gums become so irritated by the bacteria found in the plaque and tartar on your teeth that they begin to pull away from your teeth. This recession creates pockets between your teeth and gums that are highly susceptible to collecting debris and bacteria. The debris and bacteria that get caught in the pockets further irritate your gums, causing them to recede even more. This cycle continues until the tissues and bone structures that hold your teeth in place have fully decayed, which commonly leads to tooth loss.

What are the symptoms of periodontal disease?

Some of the indications that you might be developing periodontal disease are:

• Gums that are tender, red, or swollen
• Gums that recede, or teeth that suddenly appear to be longer
• Bleeding in your gums when you brush or floss
• Bad breath
• Loose teeth
• A change in the feeling of your bite

The symptoms of periodontal disease can present themselves subtly. Many times, people aren’t even aware that they have the disease until it’s already in its most advanced stages. That’s why it’s important to maintain regular visits with dental professionals like Dr. Shine and her team. They’re trained to spot periodontal disease in its earliest stages, and have a number of different treatment options for fighting the disease and getting your gums back in good shape.

How is periodontal disease treated?

The best way to stop periodontal disease is to keep it from ever developing, which is easy to do with good oral hygiene at at-home care.

If you have developed gingivitis or periodontitis, there are a variety of different treatment options that Dr. Shine uses to get your gums healthy again.

If your gum disease is in the earliest stages, Dr. Shine can halt its progress and even reverse its development with simple routine dental cleanings. By doing a deep cleaning of your teeth, Dr. Shine can remove the plaque and tartar that’s irritating your gums, giving them a chance to heal.

Dr. Shine treats more advanced cases of gum disease with a procedure called scaling and root planing. In scaling, Dr. Shine does a deep cleaning of your teeth both above and below the gumline to remove the infectious plaque and tartar. Once your teeth are cleaned, she performs a procedure called root planing that smooths down the surfaces of your teeth, making it more difficult for plaque to form and giving your gums a better surface to reattach to.

To get started with your periodontal treatments, schedule an appointment with Dr. Shine and her team at Shine DDS. You can call the office or book your visit online.