Gingivitis Treatment in Olivette, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in Olivette, MO. Have your gums become red or swollen? Is brushing your teeth painful? Or do you have bad breath you just can’t get rid of? In that 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 Olivette, MO. We treat each patient as if they’re family. If you are experiencing symptoms of gingivitis, or simply 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 can sometimes be painful, it is normally considered mild. However, if if it is not treated it can lead to more serious dental issues such as periodontitis, tooth loss, and even loss of jaw bone structure. For that reason it’s important to receive gingivitis treatment at once. The CDC states that nearly half of 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 Olivette, MO dental team at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should get professional gingivitis treatment in Olivette, MO the second you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis will often 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 normally develops in three stages:
- Plaque builds up. Plaque occurs when food particles interact 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. 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 not removed, 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 regularly or not having regular visits to the dentist’s office is most often the primary culprit. If you haven’t made an appointment with the dentist because you’re anxious about sitting in the dentist’s chair, Plaza Dental Center will help you feel at ease. Worried patients are of particular interest to us as we want everyone in Olivette, MO to have the expert dental care they need and deserve.
Besides poor good oral hygiene, there are also certain 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 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 reason why it’s important to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from an expert Olivette, 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. 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 suspect you have gingivitis, it is essential to contact your local Olivette, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A good, daily oral health regimen recommended by your Olivette, 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, twice-yearly professional dental cleanings and polishing
- General good 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 a vital part of our treatment plan for our patients. We want to teach 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 appears anyway, and that’s when you require quality Olivette, 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 Olivette, MO dentist are vital. We are able to detect early signs of gingivitis and other gum disease and give you gingivitis treatment before it gets worse.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially seek gingivitis treatment from your Olivette, MO dentist at Plaza Dental, your dentist will strive 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 advanced gingivitis treatment may be required. Your Olivette, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will know how to best treat your gingivitis. Some more advanced treatments include:
- Scaling and Root Planning, or Deep Cleaning. Your dentist will first numb the area they are going to scale, then will use 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 Olivette, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to make them smoother. Because smoother surfaces are less complicated to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps stave off further tartar build-up, and has the added benefit of reducing any irritation that may arise 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 more difficult, which makes staving off gingivitis harder.
- Ongoing Care. Once the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are gone, your Olivette, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you develop an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative measures to make sure 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 destroy harmful bacteria in your mouth and prevent further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If not treated properly, gingivitis can lead to serious issues with your gums, which can generally only be cured with surgery. To avoid this last option, make an appointment with your Olivette, MO dental team at Plaza Dental when you first observe symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your Olivette, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have shown 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 right away. Our dental team and staff are courteous, caring, and knowledgeable, and love working with Olivette, MO individuals and families of all ages. Call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.