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Gingivitis Treatment

Gingivitis Treatment in St. Louis, MO

Gingivitis Treatment in St. Louis, MO. Have your gums become red or swollen? Is brushing your teeth painful? Or do you have bad breath you just can’t get rid of? If so, you may have a case of gingivitis. Plaza Dental offers professional, friendly, and high-quality gingivitis treatment to families and individuals of all ages in the St. Louis area. We treat each patient as if they were a member of our own family. If you are showing symptoms of gingivitis, or simply haven’t had your regular cleaning in a while, call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.

While gingivitis can sometimes be painful, it is usually considered mild. However, if left untreated it can lead to more serious dental issues such as periodontitis, tooth loss, and even loss of jaw bone structure. So it’s important to receive gingivitis treatment right away. The CDC has found that nearly half of U.S. adults over 30 have gingivitis or other gum disease, which makes it one of the more prominent health issues in the U.S. If you think you have gingivitis, make an appointment with your St. Louis dental team at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.

Gingivitis Treatment in St. Louis, MO | Restorative Dentistry | Family Dentist | Plaza Dental Center

Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?

You should seek professional gingivitis treatment in St. Louis the moment you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis can often develop into more serious gum disease that can only be treated with costly and painful surgeries. Below is some more information on gingivitis and how to know when you need gingivitis treatment.

Gingivitis Causes

Gingivitis is caused, and gingivitis treatment is needed, when plaque forms on your teeth and on and below the gum line. This typically occurs in three stages:

  1. Plaque builds up. Plaque occurs as the result of food particles interacting with the bacteria that are normally in your mouth. Plaque contains bacteria and produces toxins that irritate your gums. Daily dental hygiene is important because plaque builds up quickly.
  2. Plaque becomes tartar. When plaque is not removed, it hardens under your gums and becomes tartar, which collects bacteria and acts as a protective shield for more bacteria. Tartar can only be removed by a professional dental cleaning.
  3. Gingiva become swollen. The gingiva are the part of the gum at the base of your teeth. When tartar and plaque are not removed, they irritate the gingiva and cause inflammation. When left untreated, gingivitis can lead to serious gum disease and dental problems.

Because gingivitis is caused by a buildup of plaque, poor dental hygiene such as not brushing your teeth regularly or not having regular visits to the dentist’s office is typically the primary culprit. If you haven’t been to the dentist because you’re apprehensive about sitting in the dentist’s chair, Plaza Dental Center will help you feel at ease. Nervous patients are of special interest to us as we want every St. Louis resident and family to have the quality dental care they need and deserve.

Besides poor oral hygiene, there are also certain risk factors associated with gingivitis, including:

  • Tobacco use
  • Old age
  • Dry Mouth
  • Not fully removing plaque in the gum line
  • Poor nutrition and vitamin C deficiency
  • Stress
  • Dental implants that don’t fit properly or crooked teeth
  • Certain prescription drugs
  • Conditions that lower immunity, such as HIV or leukemia

As you can see, your gum health can be indicative of your overall health. That’s another reason why it’s important to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from a professional St. Louis dental office at the onset of symptoms.

Gingivitis Symptoms

When plaque and tartar buildiup on your teeth and in your gums, your gums will react by becoming irritated and enacting several defense mechanisms. Common symptoms of gingivitis are:

  • Redness
  • Swelling
  • Chronic bad breath
  • Dark red gums
  • Receding gums
  • Tender gums
  • Painful chewing
  • New sensitivity to temperature in your mouth
  • Bleeding after brushing your teeth

If you suspect you have gingivitis, it is important to reach out to your local St. Louis dentist right away.

Gingivitis Prevention

The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A good, consistent oral health routine recommended by your St. Louis dentist will usually stop gingivitis before it starts. The best means of prevention are:

At Plaza Dental Center, patient education is a vital part of what we do for our patients. We strive to teach you how to best take care of your teeth and gums in order to prevent gingivitis and other dental problems. However, sometimes gum disease arises anyway, and that’s when you need trusted St. Louis gingivitis treatment to help your gingivitis go away before it worsens. Often, a patient may not notice when gingivitis starts as the symptoms can be mild and not affect their daily quality of life. That is one of the reasons why twice-yearly teeth cleanings by a professional St. Louis dentist are so important. We can detect early signs of gingivitis and other gum disease and give you gingivitis treatment before it gets worse.

Gingivitis Treatment

When you first seek gingivitis treatment from your St. Louis dental office at Plaza Dental, your dentist will work to diagnose gingivitis quickly. This usually includes checking your gums for bleeding, swelling, and/or redness, checking your gingiva for plaque or tartar, measuring the pocket depth of your gums, and checking for loose teeth and gums that pull away from the teeth easily. In most cases, gingivitis is easily stopped and reversed with professional gingivitis treatment.

In more advanced cases, more intense gingivitis treatment may be necessary. Your St. Louis dentist at Plaza Dental will know how to best treat your gums. Some more advanced treatments are:

  • Scaling and Root Planning, or Deep Cleaning. Your dentist will first numb the area they are going to scale, then will use a special instrument or ultrasonic scaler to scrape below the gums and remove the tarter that has built up. As scaling can leave the surface of the tooth rough, a St. Louis dentist will then plane the root surfaces to make them smoother. Since smoother surfaces are easier to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps prevent further tartar build-up, and has the added benefit of reducing any irritation that may arise from the scaling.
  • Restorative Dentistry. Ill-fitting dental crowns, dental implants, or misaligned or crooked teeth will not only irritate your gums but will also make brushing harder, which makes preventing gingivitis more difficult.
  • Ongoing Care. Once the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are cleared away, your St. Louis dental team at Plaza Dental will help you come up with an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative measures to make sure the gingivitis does not come back. We will also schedule your next appointment to ensure your teeth and gums remain healthy.
  • Recommend a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth wash can help destroy harmful bacteria in your mouth and prevent further gingivitis.
  • Gum Surgery. If left untreated, gingivitis can cause serious issues with your gums, which can usually only be treated with surgery. To avoid this last option, make an appointment with your St. Louis dentist at Plaza Dental when you first notice symptoms.

Call Plaza Dental for Your St. Louis Gingivitis Treatment Today

If you have noticed the initial symptoms of gingivitis, or worry you may have more advanced gum disease, it is imperative that you call Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today. Our dental team and staff are friendly, caring, and knowledgeable, and enjoy working with St. Louis individuals and families of all ages. Call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.