Gingivitis Treatment in University City, MO
Gingivitis Treatment in University City, MO. Are your gums red or inflamed? Is brushing your teeth painful? Or do you have bad breath you just can’t get rid of? If so, you may have a case of gingivitis. Plaza Dental offers professional, courteous, and high-quality gingivitis treatment to families and individuals of all ages in University City, MO. We treat each patient like they were a member of our own family. If you have developed symptoms of gingivitis, or just haven’t had your regular cleaning 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 usually 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. So it’s imperative to receive gingivitis treatment immediately. 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 think you have gingivitis, make an appointment with your University City, MO dental team at Plaza Dental for gingivitis treatment today.
Gingivitis Treatment: When Do I Need It?
You should seek professional gingivitis treatment in University City, MO the moment 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 to seek out gingivitis treatment.
Gingivitis Causes
Gingivitis is caused, and gingivitis treatment is necessary, when plaque forms on your teeth and on and below the gum line. This usually develops in three stages:
- Plaque builds up. Plaque occurs because of food particles interacting with the bacteria that are already in your mouth. Plaque contains bacteria and produces toxins that irritate your gums. Daily dental hygiene is important because plaque builds up quickly.
- Plaque becomes tartar. When plaque is not removed, it solidifies under your gums and becomes tartar, which collects bacteria and acts 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 are allowed to accumulate, they irritate the gingiva and cause swelling. When not treated correctly, gingivitis can lead to 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 usually 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. Nervous patients are of special interest to us as we want every University City, MO resident and family to have the expert dental care they need and deserve.
Besides poor good oral hygiene, there are also certain risk factors related to gingivitis, such as:
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- 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 crooked teeth
- Certain prescription drugs
- Conditions that lower immunity, such as HIV or leukemia
As you can see, your gum health can be representative of your overall health. That’s another reason why it’s important to immediately seek gingivitis treatment from an expert University City, MO dental office when symptoms start.
Gingivitis Symptoms
When plaque and tartar build-up on your teeth and in your gums, your gums will react by becoming irritated and enacting several defense mechanisms. Common 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 after brushing your teeth
If you suspect you have gingivitis, it is important to get in touch with your local University City, MO dentist right away.
Gingivitis Prevention
The simplest method of gingivitis treatment is prevention. A quality, consistent oral health routine recommended by your University City, MO dentist will generally stop gingivitis before it starts. The best means of prevention are:
- Proper oral hygiene, including:
- Brushing at least 2 minutes, twice daily
- 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 healthy
- Not smoking (64 percent of smokers have gum disease)
- Control diabetes if you have it
At Plaza Dental Center, patient education is an indispensable part of our treatment plan for our patients. We endeavor to show you how to best take care of your teeth and gums in order to fend off gingivitis and other dental problems. However, sometimes gum disease arises anyway, and that’s when you need quality University City, 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 an expert University City, MO dentist are essential. We are able to observe early symptoms of gingivitis and other dental problems and provide you with gingivitis treatment before it gets worse.
Gingivitis Treatment
When you initially get gingivitis treatment from your University City, MO dental office at Plaza Dental, your dentist will endeavor to diagnose gingivitis rapidly. This usually includes checking your gums for bleeding, swelling, 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 advanced cases, more advanced gingivitis treatment may be required. Your University City, MO dentist at Plaza Dental will know 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 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 University City, MO dentist will then plane the root surfaces to smooth them out. Since smoother surfaces are less complicated 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 come about from the scaling.
- Dental Restoration. Ill-fitting dental crowns, dental implants, or crooked teeth will not only irritate your gums but will also make brushing more complicated, which makes fending off gingivitis harder.
- Ongoing Care. Once the plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums are gone, your University City, MO dental team at Plaza Dental will help you develop an at-home gingivitis treatment plan and preventative methods to ensure the gingivitis does not reoccur. We will also schedule your next appointment to guarantee that your teeth and gums remain healthy.
- Write a Prescription. Antimicrobial mouth wash can help destroy harmful bacteria in your mouth and fend off further gingivitis.
- Gum Surgery. If not treated properly, gingivitis can result in serious issues with your gums, which can typically only be treated with surgery. To avoid surgery, make an appointment with your University City, MO dental office at Plaza Dental when you first experience symptoms.
Call Plaza Dental for Your University City, MO Gingivitis Treatment Today
If you have experienced the initial symptoms of gingivitis, or think 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 University City, 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.