Gingivitis Treatment in Bel-Ridge, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in Bel-Ridge, MO. Have your gums become red or puffy? Is brushing your teeth painful? Or do you have chronic bad breath? If that’s the case, you may have a case of gingivitis. Plaza Dental offers qualified, courteous, and high-quality gingivitis treatment to families and individuals of all ages in Bel-Ridge, MO. We treat each patient like they were a member of our own family. If you are experiencing symptoms of gingivitis, or just haven’t had your regular cleaning in a while, call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or contact us online.
While gingivitis is sometimes painful, it is normally 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 best to receive gingivitis treatment at once. The CDC has found that 46 percent 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 believe you have gingivitis, make an appointment with your Bel-Ridge, MO dental office at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should seek professional gingivitis treatment in Bel-Ridge, MO the minute you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis will frequently develop into more severe 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 necessary, when plaque accumulates on your teeth and on and below the gum line. This usually develops in three stages:
- Plaque builds up. Plaque occurs when food particles interact with the bacteria that are commonly in your mouth. Plaque contains bacteria and produces toxins that irritate your gums. Routine dental hygiene is important because plaque accumulates quickly.
- Plaque becomes tartar. When plaque is allowed to accumulate, it hardens under your gums and becomes tartar, which collects bacteria and behaves as a protective shield for more bacteria. Tartar can only be removed by a professional dental cleaning.
- Gingiva become inflamed. 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 swelling. When not treated correctly, gingivitis can cause serious gum disease and dental problems.
Because gingivitis is the result of a buildup of plaque, improper dental hygiene such as not brushing your teeth twice a day or not having regular visits to your dentist is typically the primary culprit. If you haven’t made an appointment with the dentist because you’re nervous about sitting in the dentist’s chair, Plaza Dental Center will help you feel relaxed. Nervous patients are of special interest to us as we want everyone in Bel-Ridge, MO to have the quality dental care they need and deserve.
Besides poor good oral hygiene, there are also specific risk factors related to gingivitis, including:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Old age
- Dry Mouth
- Not sufficiently 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 tell, your gum health can hint at your overall health. That’s another good reason to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from an expert Bel-Ridge, MO dental office when symptoms start.
Gingivitis Symptoms
When plaque and tartar accumulate on your teeth and in your gums, your gums will react by becoming irritated and implementing several defense mechanisms. Typical symptoms of gingivitis include:
- 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 think you have gingivitis, it is essential to contact your local Bel-Ridge, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A quality, daily oral health regimen recommended by your Bel-Ridge, MO dentist will usually stop gingivitis before it starts. The best methods of prevention are:
- Proper oral hygiene, including:
- Brushing at least 2 minutes, twice daily
- Flossing once a day
- Regular, biannual professional dental cleanings and polishing
- General correct health practices, such as eating well and exercising to maintain a healthy immune system
- Not smoking (64 percent of smokers develop gum disease)
- Control diabetes if you have it
At Plaza Dental Center, patient education is a vital part of our treatment plan for our patients. We want to educate you on how to best take care of your teeth and gums in order to prevent gingivitis and other dental problems. However, sometimes gum disease occurs anyway, and that’s when you need trusted Bel-Ridge, MO gingivitis treatment to help your gingivitis go away before it worsens. Many times, a patient does not notice when gingivitis starts as the symptoms can be mild and not impact their daily quality of life. That is one of the reasons why twice-a-year teeth cleanings by a qualified Bel-Ridge, MO dentist are so important. We can observe early signs of gingivitis and other gum disease and give you gingivitis treatment before it worsens.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially get gingivitis treatment from your Bel-Ridge, MO dental office at Plaza Dental, your dentist will work to diagnose gingivitis quickly. This typically includes looking at your gums for bleeding, swelling, and/or redness, checking your gingiva for plaque or tartar, measuring the pocket depth of your gums, and looking 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 serious cases, more intense gingivitis treatment may be required. Your Bel-Ridge, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will know how to best treat your gums. Some more advanced treatments include:
- Scaling and Root Planning, or Deep Cleaning. After numbing the area they are going to scale, your dentist then will use a special instrument or ultrasonic scaler to scrape under the gums and get rid of the tarter that has accumulated. As scaling can leave the surface of the tooth rough, a Bel-Ridge, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to smooth them out. Since smoother surfaces are easier to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps stave off further tartar build-up, and has the additional benefit of reducing any irritation that may develop from the scaling.
- Restorative Dentistry. Poorly fitted dental crowns, dental implants, or misaligned teeth will not only irritate your gums but will also make brushing more difficult, which makes preventing gingivitis more difficult.
- Ongoing Care. After the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are gone, your Bel-Ridge, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you develop an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative methods to make certain the gingivitis does not reoccur. We will also schedule your next appointment to make sure your teeth and gums stay healthy.
- Write a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth wash can help kill harmful bacteria in your mouth and fend off further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If left untreated, gingivitis can cause serious problems for your gums, which can usually only be cured with surgery. To avoid surgery, schedule an appointment with your Bel-Ridge, MO dentist at Plaza Dental when you first see symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your Bel-Ridge, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have seen the initial symptoms of gingivitis, or think you might have more advanced gum disease, it is imperative that you get in touch with Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment right away. Our dental team and staff are friendly, caring, and knowledgeable, and love working with Bel-Ridge, MO individuals and families no matter how young or old. Call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.