Gingivitis Treatment in St. Louis, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in St. Louis, MO. Are your gums red or puffy? 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 qualified, friendly, and high-quality gingivitis treatment to families and individuals of all ages in St. Louis, MO. We treat each patient as if they were a member of our own family. If you are showing 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 typically considered mild. However, if left untreated it can lead to more severe 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 right away. The CDC says that 46 percent 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 think you have gingivitis, schedule an appointment with your St. Louis, 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. Louis, MO the second you start to see symptoms. 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 to seek out 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 generally 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 important because plaque builds up 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 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 swelling. When not treated adequately, gingivitis can lead to 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 typically the primary culprit. If you haven’t been to 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 special interest to us as we want everyone in St. Louis, 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 sufficiently 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 see, your gum health can be indicative of your overall health. That’s another good reason to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from a professional St. Louis, MO dental office when you first experience 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 include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Bad breath you cannot get rid of
- Dark red gums
- Gum recession
- Tender gums
- Painful chewing
- New sensitivity to temperature in your mouth
- Bleeding after brushing your teeth
If you believe you have gingivitis, it is important to contact your local St. Louis, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The easiest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A good, daily oral health routine recommended by your St. Louis, 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 correct 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 a vital part of what we do for our patients. We strive 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. Louis, 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 minor and not affect their daily quality of life. That is one of the reasons why twice-a-year teeth cleanings by an expert St. Louis, MO dentist are essential. We are able to notice early symptoms of gingivitis and other dental issues and provide you with gingivitis treatment before it gets worse.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially get gingivitis treatment from your St. Louis, MO dental office at Plaza Dental, your dentist will strive to diagnose gingivitis quickly. This usually 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 checking for loose teeth and gums that pull away from the teeth easily. In most cases, gingivitis is easily prevented and reversed with professional gingivitis treatment.
In more advanced cases, more intense gingivitis treatment may be required. Your St. Louis, 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. 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 cause the surface of your teeth to become rough, a St. Louis, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to smooth them out. Since smoother surfaces are easier to brush and clean, scaling and root planing helps prevent further tartar build-up, and has the additional benefit of reducing any irritation that may arise 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 more difficult, which makes fending off gingivitis more difficult.
- Ongoing Care. After the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are cleared away, your St. Louis, 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 come back. We will also schedule your next appointment to make sure your teeth and gums remain healthy.
- Write a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth wash can help destroy harmful bacteria in your mouth and stave off further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If left untreated, gingivitis can result in serious problems for your gums, which can usually only be treated with surgery. To avoid this last option, schedule an appointment with your St. Louis, MO dentist at Plaza Dental when you first show symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your St. Louis, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have shown the initial symptoms of gingivitis, or suspect you might have more advanced gum disease, it is imperative that you get in touch with Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment right away. Our dental team and staff are friendly, caring, and knowledgeable, and love working with St. Louis, MO individuals and families of all ages. Call Plaza Dental Center today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online contact form.