Gingivitis Treatment in Brentwood, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in Brentwood, MO. Are your gums red or swollen? Is brushing your teeth painful? Or do you have bad breath you just can’t get rid of? 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 Brentwood, MO. We treat each patient like they were a member of our own family. If you have developed symptoms of gingivitis, or just haven’t had your regular dentist’s appointment in a long time, call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.
While gingivitis is occasionally painful, it is normally considered mild. However, if left untreated it can lead to more severe dental problems such as periodontitis, tooth loss, and even loss of jaw bone structure. That’s why it’s imperative to seek out gingivitis treatment immediately. The CDC says 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 suspect you have gingivitis, make an appointment with your Brentwood, MO dental office at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should get professional gingivitis treatment in Brentwood, MO the minute you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis will routinely develop into more advanced gum disease that can only be treated with costly and painful surgeries. Below is some further information on gingivitis and how to know when to seek out gingivitis treatment.
Gingivitis Causes
Gingivitis is caused, and gingivitis treatment is needed, when plaque accumulates on your teeth and on and below the gum line. This generally occurs in three stages:
- Plaque builds up. Plaque occurs because of food particles interacting with the bacteria that are already in your mouth. Plaque contains bacteria and produces toxins that irritate your gums. Routine dental hygiene is vital 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 acts 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 are allowed to accumulate, they irritate the gingiva and cause inflammation. When left untreated, gingivitis can result in serious gum disease and dental problems.
Because gingivitis is caused by a buildup of plaque, improper dental hygiene such as not brushing your teeth consistently or not having regular visits to the dentist’s office is most often the primary culprit. If you haven’t been to the dentist because you’re nervous about sitting in the dentist’s chair, Plaza Dental Center will help you feel at ease. Apprehensive patients are of special interest to us as we want every Brentwood, MO resident and family to have the quality dental care they need and deserve.
Besides poor good oral hygiene, there are also specific risk factors related to gingivitis, such as:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- 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 misaligned teeth
- Certain prescription drugs
- Conditions that lower immunity, such as HIV or leukemia
As you can tell, your gum health can be indicative of your overall health. That’s another good reason to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from an expert Brentwood, MO dental office at the first sign of symptoms.
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. The usual 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 when brushing your teeth
If you suspect you have gingivitis, it is essential to get in touch with your local Brentwood, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A quality, consistent oral health routine recommended by your Brentwood, MO dentist will generally stop gingivitis before it starts. The best means of prevention are:
- Proper oral hygiene, including:
- Brushing at least 2 minutes, twice a day
- Flossing once a day
- Regular, twice-yearly professional dental cleanings and polishing
- General good 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 what we do for our patients. We strive 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 emerges anyway, and that’s when you need professional Brentwood, MO gingivitis treatment to help your gingivitis go away before it intensifies. Often, 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 professional Brentwood, MO dentist are vital. We are able to note early symptoms of gingivitis and other gum disease and provide you with gingivitis treatment before it gets worse.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially get gingivitis treatment from your Brentwood, MO dentist at Plaza Dental, your dentist will endeavor to diagnose gingivitis quickly. This most often means checking your gums for bleeding, inflammation, 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 prevented and reversed with professional gingivitis treatment.
In more severe cases, more intense gingivitis treatment may be necessary. Your Brentwood, 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 utilize a special instrument or ultrasonic scaler to scrape below the gingiva and remove the tarter that has accumulated. As scaling can leave the surface of the tooth rough, a Brentwood, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to make them smoother. As smoother surfaces are easier to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps stave off further tartar build-up, and has the extra benefit of reducing any irritation that may develop from the scaling.
- Restorative Dentistry. Ill-fitting 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. Once the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are cleared away, your Brentwood, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you implement an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative methods to ensure 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 rinse can help kill harmful bacteria in your mouth and stave off further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If not treated properly, gingivitis can cause serious problems for your gums, which can usually only be cured with surgery. To avoid this last option, schedule an appointment with your Brentwood, MO dentist at Plaza Dental when you first experience symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your Brentwood, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have experienced the first symptoms of gingivitis, or believe 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 courteous, caring, and knowledgeable, and enjoy working with Brentwood, 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.