Gingivitis Treatment in Riverview Gardens, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in Riverview Gardens, 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 expert, courteous, and high-quality gingivitis treatment to families and individuals of all ages in Riverview Gardens, MO. We treat each patient like they’re family. If you are showing 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 fill out our online contact form.
While gingivitis is occasionally 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. That’s why it’s important to seek out gingivitis treatment immediately. The CDC has found 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 Riverview Gardens, MO dental team at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should get professional gingivitis treatment in Riverview Gardens, MO the moment you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis will usually 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 necessary, when plaque accumulates on your teeth and on and below the gum line. This typically develops 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 irritate your gums. Routine dental hygiene is essential because plaque accumulates quickly.
- Plaque becomes tartar. When plaque is not removed, it solidifies under your gums and becomes tartar, which collects bacteria and behaves 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 not removed, they irritate the gingiva and cause inflammation. When not treated properly, gingivitis can lead to serious gum disease and dental problems.
Because gingivitis is caused by a buildup of plaque, bad dental hygiene such as not brushing your teeth twice a day 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 at ease. Apprehensive patients are of particular interest to us as we want every Riverview Gardens, MO resident and family 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 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 see, your gum health can be indicative of your overall health. That’s another reason why it’s important to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from a professional Riverview Gardens, 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 include:
- 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 believe you have gingivitis, it is important to reach out to your local Riverview Gardens, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A quality, daily oral health regimen recommended by your Riverview Gardens, MO dentist will usually 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 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 an important 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 occurs anyway, and that’s when you require quality Riverview Gardens, 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 twice-yearly teeth cleanings by a professional Riverview Gardens, MO dentist are essential. We can note early signs of gingivitis and other gum disease and provide you with gingivitis treatment before it gets worse.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially receive gingivitis treatment from your Riverview Gardens, MO dentist at Plaza Dental, your dentist will endeavor to diagnose gingivitis rapidly. This typically includes 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 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 serious cases, more intense gingivitis treatment may be needed. Your Riverview Gardens, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will understand how to best treat your gingivitis. Some more advanced treatments are:
- Scaling and Root Planning, or Deep Cleaning. Your dentist will first numb the area they are going to scale, then will utilize a special instrument or ultrasonic scaler to scrape under the gums and remove the tarter that has accumulated. As scaling can leave the surface of the tooth rough, a Riverview Gardens, 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 fend of further tartar build-up, and has the additional benefit of reducing any irritation that may come about 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 complicated, which makes staving off gingivitis harder.
- Ongoing Care. Once the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are cleared away, your Riverview Gardens, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you create an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative measures to ensure the gingivitis does not come back. We will also schedule your next appointment to ensure your teeth and gums stay healthy.
- Write a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth wash can help remove harmful bacteria in your mouth and prevent further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If not treated properly, gingivitis can result in serious problems for your gums, which can usually only be treated with surgery. To avoid this, make an appointment with your Riverview Gardens, MO dental team at Plaza Dental when you first observe symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your Riverview Gardens, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have experienced the initial symptoms of gingivitis, or suspect you may have more advanced gum disease, it is incredibly important that you contact Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today. Our dental team and staff are friendly, caring, and knowledgeable, and love working with Riverview Gardens, 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.