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What Options Do I Have For Treating Gum Disease?

Gum disease is extremely common among US adults, and yet, many don’t understand the true facts about it. For example, left untreated, bacteria from periodontal infections can spread and raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, dementia, birth defects, and certain forms of cancer.
And while gum disease in its earlier stages may cause only bad breath and mild bleeding and inflammation of gum tissue – or even go completely unnoticed, in later stages, it can lead to painful infections, extreme gum recession, bone loss, and tooth loss.

While the first choice is always prevention through good oral hygiene and regular periodontal check ups, various periodontal treatments are available to match each stage of gum disease.

Diagnosis & Prescribed Homecare
As most periodontal problems stem directly from “abuse by neglect” of our own mouths over extended periods of time, it’s not surprising that a big part of the treatment can simply be reversing bad oral care habits.

In the gingivitis or pre-gingivitis stages, you may simply need an oral cleaning and some good advice on how to better care for your gums. Proper brushing, flossing, and use of a medicated mouth rinse is one key plank in the program. Additionally, you may help the healing tissues and will need to improve your diet, quit smoking, and reduce alcohol consumption to protect damaged gum tissue and give it a chance to regenerate and recover.

Root Scaling & Planing
Periodontitis is more serious,the advanced form of gum disease, while gingivitis is the first stage. With mild to moderate level periodontitis, periodontal pockets of bacteria colonies can grow 4 to 6 mm below the gum line, normally in interdental spaces. Teeth may begin to loosen, gum tissue pull back from the tooth roots, and bleeding of gums become more common and severe.

In late gingivitis or early periodontitis stages, root scaling and planing may be the best treatment option. In this procedure, bacterial pockets are cleaned out and flushed out with oral irrigation. The bacterial biofilm is removed and medication will serve to kill off lingering pathogens.

A dental tool is used to scrape off tartar from tooth roots and to then plane (smooth) those roots to give less surface area where bacteria can possibly attach themselves in the future.

Laser Periodontal Treatment
For more serious instances of gum disease, that is, moderate to advanced periodontitis, laser periodontal treatment is normally the best treatment option. With laser treatment, a specially calibrated handheld laser tool is used by a trained periodontist to remove the inflammation by painlessly vaporizing infected gum tissue. The Millennium MVP 7 is the best laser system for treating Periodontitis Dr Kenzik utilizes that system exclusively for the past 12 years and has seen excellent results.

The laser also sanitizes the surfaces of exposed tooth roots in an extremely effective manner. Very little healthy gum tissue is lost in the process of removing the unhealthy tissue, and the laser even stimulates the gums to regenerate themselves more rapidly.

With laser gum surgery, pain, bleeding, and inflammation is minimized, the operation itself takes very little time and can be completed in one sitting, and the healing process is quicker too. Most patients, in fact, can return to their normal routines within 24 hours after laser periodontal treatment.

To learn more about treating and caring for your gums, contact periodontist Dr. Raymond A. Kenzik in Ormond Beach, FL, today.

Located in Beautiful Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach Periodontics and Implant Dentistry is conveniently located off of Nova Road in Ormond Beach, Florida. We help seniors, adults, and teenagers smile with confidence.