Gingivitis Treatment in Maryland Heights, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in Maryland Heights, MO. Are your gums red or puffy? Does it hurt to brush your teeth? 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 Maryland Heights, MO. We treat each patient like they’re family. If you have developed symptoms of gingivitis, or just haven’t had your regular dental appointment in a while, 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 serious dental issues such as periodontitis, tooth loss, and even loss of jaw bone structure. So it’s important to receive gingivitis treatment at once. The CDC says 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 believe you have gingivitis, make an appointment with your Maryland Heights, MO dental office at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should get professional gingivitis treatment in Maryland Heights, MO the minute you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis will commonly 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 required, when plaque accumulates on your teeth and on and below the gum line. This normally occurs 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 bother your gums. Routine dental hygiene is essential because plaque accumulates quickly.
- Plaque becomes tartar. When plaque is not removed, 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 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 adequately, gingivitis can result in serious gum disease and dental problems.
Because gingivitis is the result of a buildup of plaque, poor dental hygiene such as not brushing your teeth regularly or not having regular visits to your dentist is most often 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. Anxious patients are of particular interest to us as we want everyone in Maryland Heights, 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 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 see, your gum health can hint at your overall health. That’s another reason why it’s important to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from an expert Maryland Heights, MO dental office when you first show 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. Common symptoms of gingivitis are:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Chronic bad breath
- Dark red gums
- Gum recession
- 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 reach out to your local Maryland Heights, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The simplest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A good, daily oral health regimen recommended by your Maryland Heights, 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 a day
- Flossing once a day
- Regular, biannual professional dental cleanings and polishing
- General proper health practices, such as eating well and exercising to keep your immune system up
- Not smoking (64 percent of smokers develop gum disease)
- Control diabetes if you have it
At Plaza Dental Center, patient education is an indispensable part of what we do for our patients. We endeavor to show you how to best take care of your teeth and gums in order to stave off gingivitis and other dental problems. However, sometimes gum disease arises anyway, and that’s when you need trusted Maryland Heights, MO gingivitis treatment to help your gingivitis go away before it intensifies. 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 Maryland Heights, MO dentist are vital. We can note early signs of gingivitis and other gum disease and give you gingivitis treatment before it gets worse.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially receive gingivitis treatment from your Maryland Heights, MO dentist at Plaza Dental, your dentist will endeavor to diagnose gingivitis quickly. This most often means looking at your gums for bleeding, inflammation, 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 serious cases, more intense gingivitis treatment may be necessary. Your Maryland Heights, 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 use a special instrument or ultrasonic scaler to scrape underneath the gingiva and get rid of the tarter that has accumulated. As scaling can cause the surface of your teeth to become rough, a Maryland Heights, 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 fend of further tartar build-up, and has the extra benefit of reducing any irritation that may develop from the scaling.
- Dental Restoration. Ill-fitting 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 complicated.
- Ongoing Care. After the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are gone, your Maryland Heights, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you create an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative methods to guarantee that the gingivitis does not return. We will also make your next appointment to make certain your teeth and gums stay 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 problems for your gums, which can typically only be cured with surgery. To avoid this, schedule an appointment with your Maryland Heights, MO dental office at Plaza Dental when you first show symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your Maryland Heights, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have noticed the initial symptoms of gingivitis, or suspect you may have more advanced gum disease, it is imperative that you reach out to Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment right away. Our dental team and staff are friendly, caring, and knowledgeable, and love working with Maryland Heights, MO individuals and families of all ages. Call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.