Gingivitis Treatment in St. Ann, MO

Gingivitis Treatment in St. Ann, MO. Are your gums red or inflamed? Does it hurt to brush your teeth? Or do you have chronic bad breath? In that case, you may have a case of gingivitis. Plaza Dental offers qualified, friendly, and high-quality gingivitis treatment to families and individuals of all ages in St. Ann, 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 fill out our online contact form.

While gingivitis is occasionally painful, it is usually considered mild. However, if left untreated it can lead to more severe dental problems such as periodontitis, tooth loss, and even loss of jaw bone structure. For that reason it’s important to seek out gingivitis treatment at once. The CDC has found 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 St. Ann, MO dental team at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.

Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?

You should get professional gingivitis treatment in St. Ann, MO the moment you start to see symptoms. Untreated gingivitis will often 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 to seek out 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 typically develops in three stages:

1. 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.
2. 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. Tartar can only be removed by a professional dental cleaning.
3. 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, bad dental hygiene such as not brushing your teeth twice a day or not having regular visits to the dentist’s office is most often the primary culprit. If you haven’t seen the dentist because you’re nervous 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 St. Ann, 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 related to gingivitis, including:

• Tobacco use
• 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 misaligned teeth
• Certain prescription drugs
• Conditions that lower immunity, such as HIV or leukemia

As you can tell, your gum health can be representative of your overall health. That’s another reason why it’s important to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from a professional St. Ann, 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. Common 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 St. Ann, MO dentist right away.

Gingivitis Prevention

The simplest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A quality, consistent oral health routine recommended by your St. Ann, MO dentist will generally 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 a year professional dental cleanings and polishing
• General proper 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 indispensable part of what we do 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 arises anyway, and that’s when you need trusted St. Ann, MO gingivitis treatment to help your gingivitis disappear before it gets worse. Many times, a patient does not notice when gingivitis starts as the symptoms can be mild and not affect their daily quality of life. That is one of the reasons why twice-a-year teeth cleanings by an expert St. Ann, MO dentist are vital. We can detect early signs of gingivitis and other gum disease and give you gingivitis treatment before it worsens.

Gingivitis Treatment

When you initially receive gingivitis treatment from your St. Ann, MO dentist at Plaza Dental, your dentist will work to diagnose gingivitis quickly. This typically means looking at 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 necessary. Your St. Ann, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will know how to best treat your gums. 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 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 St. Ann, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to make them smoother. Since smoother surfaces are simpler to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps stave off further tartar build-up, and has the additional benefit of reducing any irritation that may develop from the scaling.
• Restorative Dentistry. Ill-fitting dental crowns, dental implants, or crooked teeth will not only irritate your gums but will also make brushing harder, which makes fending off gingivitis more complicated.
• Ongoing Care. After the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are cleared away, your St. Ann, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will help you come up with an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative methods to make sure the gingivitis does not return. We will also schedule your next appointment to guarantee that your teeth and gums stay healthy.
• Recommend a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth wash can help get rid of harmful bacteria in your mouth and stave off further gingivitis.
• Gum Surgery. If left untreated, gingivitis can result in serious issues with your gums, which can usually only be treated with surgery. To avoid this last option, schedule an appointment with your St. Ann, MO dental office at Plaza Dental when you first show symptoms.

Call Plaza Dental for Your St. Ann, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today

If you have seen the initial symptoms of gingivitis, or suspect you might have more advanced gum disease, it is incredibly important that you reach out to Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment right away. Our dental team and staff are courteous, caring, and knowledgeable, and enjoy working with St. Ann, 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.