Gum Disease Treatment – Weatherford, TX
The Health of Your Gums Matters
When it comes to maintaining a healthy mouth, your primary concern may be protecting your teeth from cavities. However, your gums also deserve your attention. If gum disease is allowed to develop, it could eventually lead to tooth loss and put you at a higher risk for heart disease. While our team at Beacon Dentistry of Weatherford will strive to prevent gum disease whenever possible, we also offer options for treating the problem before it can grow worse. Call us today if you think you may need gum disease treatment soon.
Why Choose Beacon Dentistry of Weatherford for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Gentle, Thorough Scaling and Root Planing
- Reliable Arestin Antibiotic Treatments
- Comfortable Modern Office with Advanced Technology
What is Gum Disease?
If plaque and tartar are allowed to build up in your mouth, they can result in an infection of the gums known as gum disease. The earliest stage of gum disease, gingivitis, is relatively mild; oftentimes, it may even be possible to reverse it just by making some improvements to your oral hygiene routine. However, gingivitis can eventually turn into periodontitis, which is a much more serious oral health threat that cannot be fully cured and must be managed so that it doesn’t grow worse.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
You may have gum disease if you have noticed any of the following symptoms:
- Your gums are unusually red or swollen.
- Your teeth look longer than normal due to gum recession.
- Your gums tend to bleed very easily, especially when you brush or floss.
- There have been changes in your bite.
- Some of your permanent teeth have come loose.
Gum disease doesn’t always have obvious symptoms early on. Luckily, our team can often catch warning signs that you might have missed during a routine checkup.
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
Our team will need to take a close look at your gums in order to determine how severe your gum disease is. Once that’s done, we can work with you to figure out which form of treatment is right for your smile. Here’s a closer look at your options.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing are the two steps that make up the deep cleaning process that’s often recommended for gum disease. During scaling, plaque is carefully removed from the area around and below the gum line. The root planing step involves smoothing out the roots of the teeth. Smoother tooth roots encourage the reattachment of the gums, and they make it more difficult for bacteria to accumulate in the future.
Antibiotic Treatment
To help fight the hard-to-reach bacteria that are contributing to your gum disease, we may recommend Arestin antibiotic treatment. Arestin consists of a number of microspheres that are meant to be placed in the pockets that form between the teeth and gums as a consequence of gum disease. The microspheres gradually release medication into the gums, killing harmful bacteria and promoting healing.