Gingivitis Treatment in Jennings, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in Jennings, MO. Are your gums red or inflamed? 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 Jennings, MO. We treat each patient as if 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 sometimes painful, it is typically considered mild. However, if left untreated it can lead to more severe dental issues such as periodontitis, tooth loss, and even loss of jaw bone structure. That’s why it’s important to seek out gingivitis treatment right away. The CDC states that 46 percent U.S. adults over 30 have gingivitis or other gum disease, which makes it one of the more common health issues in the U.S. If you think you have gingivitis, schedule an appointment with your Jennings, MO dental team at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should receive professional gingivitis treatment in Jennings, MO the moment you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis will usually 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 to seek out gingivitis treatment.
Gingivitis Causes
Gingivitis is caused, and gingivitis treatment is necessary, when plaque forms on your teeth and on and below the gum line. This generally occurs in three stages:
- Plaque builds up. Plaque occurs as the result of food particles interacting 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 builds up quickly.
- Plaque becomes tartar. When plaque is allowed to accumulate, it solidifies under your gums and becomes tartar, which collects bacteria and behaves as a protective shield for more bacteria. The only way to get rid of tartar is with 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 inflammation. When not treated properly, gingivitis can cause serious gum disease and dental problems.
Because gingivitis is the result of a buildup of plaque, bad dental hygiene such as not brushing your teeth regularly or not having regular visits to your dentist is typically the primary culprit. If you haven’t seen the dentist because you’re apprehensive about sitting in the dentist’s chair, Plaza Dental Center will help you feel relaxed. Anxious patients are of special interest to us as we want everyone in Jennings, MO to have the professional dental care they need and deserve.
Besides poor good oral hygiene, there are also certain risk factors related to gingivitis, including:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Old age
- Dry Mouth
- Not adequately removing plaque in the gingiva
- 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 representative of your overall health. That’s another good reason to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from an expert Jennings, MO dental office when you first experience 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. Typical symptoms of gingivitis include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Bad breath you cannot get rid of
- Dark red gums
- Receding gums
- Tender gums
- Painful chewing
- New sensitivity to temperature in your mouth
- Bleeding when brushing your teeth
If you believe you have gingivitis, it is important to call your local Jennings, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A good, consistent oral health regimen recommended by your Jennings, MO dentist will almost always 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 good health practices, such as eating well and exercising to maintain a healthy immune system
- Not smoking (64 percent of smokers have 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 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 emerges anyway, and that’s when you need professional Jennings, MO gingivitis treatment to help your gingivitis go away before it gets worse. A lot of 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 biannual teeth cleanings by an expert Jennings, MO dentist are essential. We can observe early signs of gingivitis and other dental problems and give you gingivitis treatment before it worsens.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially get gingivitis treatment from your Jennings, MO dentist at Plaza Dental, your dentist will work to diagnose gingivitis rapidly. This typically 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 prevented and reversed with professional gingivitis treatment.
In more advanced cases, more intense gingivitis treatment may be needed. Your Jennings, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will understand how to best treat your gums. Some more advanced treatments are:
- 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 under the gums and remove the tarter that has accumulated. As scaling can cause the surface of your teeth to become rough, a Jennings, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to smooth them out. Because smoother surfaces are less complicated to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps prevent further tartar build-up, and has the extra benefit of lessening any irritation that may come about from the scaling.
- Dental Restoration. Ill-fitting dental crowns, dental implants, or crooked teeth will not only irritate your gums but will also make brushing more complicated, which makes staving off gingivitis harder.
- Ongoing Care. Once the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are removed, your Jennings, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you implement an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative measures to make certain the gingivitis does not reoccur. We will also schedule your next appointment to make sure your teeth and gums stay healthy.
- Recommend a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth rinse can help destroy harmful bacteria in your mouth and stave off further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to serious issues with your gums, which can frequently only be cured with surgery. To avoid this, make an appointment with your Jennings, MO dental office at Plaza Dental when you first show symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your Jennings, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have shown the first symptoms of gingivitis, or believe you may have more advanced gum disease, it is incredibly important that you reach out to Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today. Our dental team and staff are friendly, caring, and knowledgeable, and enjoy working with Jennings, 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.