Gingivitis Treatment in Maplewood, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in Maplewood, MO. Have your gums become red or swollen? 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 professional, friendly, and high-quality gingivitis treatment to families and individuals of all ages in Maplewood, MO. We treat each patient as if they’re family. If you have developed symptoms of gingivitis, or just haven’t had your regular cleaning in a long time, call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or contact us online.
While gingivitis is occasionally painful, it is typically 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 says 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 suspect you have gingivitis, make an appointment with your Maplewood, MO dental team at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should get professional gingivitis treatment in Maplewood, MO the second that symptoms start. Untreated gingivitis will routinely 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 normally develops 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 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. The only way to get rid of tartar is with a professional dental cleaning.
- Gingiva become swollen. 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 swelling. When not treated correctly, gingivitis can cause 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 your dentist is typically the primary culprit. If you haven’t seen the dentist because you’re anxious about sitting in the dentist’s chair, Plaza Dental Center will help you feel relaxed. Nervous patients are of particular interest to us as we want everyone in Maplewood, MO to have the expert dental care they need and deserve.
Besides poor good oral hygiene, there are also specific risk factors associated with gingivitis, including:
- Tobacco use
- Old age
- Dry Mouth
- Not adequately 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 a professional Maplewood, MO dental office at the first sign of symptoms.
Gingivitis Symptoms
When plaque and tartar build-up on your teeth and in your gums, your gums will react by becoming irritated and implementing several defense mechanisms. Typical 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 imperative to reach out to your local Maplewood, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A quality, consistent oral health routine recommended by your Maplewood, MO dentist will usually stop gingivitis before it starts. The best means 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 develop gum disease)
- Control diabetes if you have it
At Plaza Dental Center, patient education is an important part of what we do for our patients. We strive to show you the best means of taking care of your teeth and gums in order to fend off gingivitis and other dental problems. However, sometimes gum disease occurs anyway, and that’s when you need quality Maplewood, MO gingivitis treatment to help your gingivitis disappear before it worsens. 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 a professional Maplewood, MO dentist are so important. We are able to observe early symptoms of gingivitis and other gum disease and provide you with gingivitis treatment before it worsens.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you first receive gingivitis treatment from your Maplewood, MO dental office at Plaza Dental, your dentist will work to diagnose gingivitis quickly. This most often 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 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 severe cases, more advanced gingivitis treatment may be needed. Your Maplewood, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will know how to best treat your gingivitis. 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 below the gingiva and remove the tarter that has accumulated. As scaling can cause the surface of your teeth to become rough, a Maplewood, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to smooth them out. Since smoother surfaces are less difficult to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps prevent further tartar build-up, and has the added benefit of lessening 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 harder, which makes staving off gingivitis more difficult.
- Ongoing Care. After the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are gone, your Maplewood, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you implement an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative measures to ensure the gingivitis does not return. We will also make your next appointment to make sure your teeth and gums remain healthy.
- Write a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth rinse can help get rid of harmful bacteria in your mouth and fend off further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If left untreated, gingivitis can cause serious issues with your gums, which can usually only be cured with surgery. To avoid this last option, schedule an appointment with your Maplewood, MO dental office at Plaza Dental when you first observe symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your Maplewood, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have noticed the first symptoms of gingivitis, or worry you might have more advanced gum disease, it is incredibly important that you call Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today. Our dental team and staff are courteous, caring, and knowledgeable, and enjoy working with Maplewood, MO individuals and families of all ages. Call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.