Periodontal Disease Treatment – Arlington Heights, IL

What is Gum Disease?

A problem that affects about half of the American population, gum disease is an infection and inflammation of the gums that is typically caused by poor dental hygiene. When plaque and bacteria buildup along the gumline, infection can occur, leading to numerous symptoms and serious issues if left untreated. However, in its earlier stages, gum disease can be completely reversed before the infection spreads.

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Stages of Gum Disease

There are different stages of gum disease and the type of treatment that you need will vary based on the severity of the infection. These include:

The Importance of Treatment

Your gums may not get the same spotlight that your teeth do, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less important. In fact, without healthy gums, your teeth couldn’t be properly supported. However, there are even bigger issues to worry about with gum disease than the health of your smile. Gum disease causes higher risks of cardiovascular disease, strokes, uncontrolled diabetes, colorectal cancer, respiratory infections, and even Alzheimer’s. As studies continue to show this relationship between gum health and overall health, it’s more vital than ever to practice a good oral healthcare routine.

How does periodontal disease affect your overall health?

Scaling & Root Planing

Scaling and root planing is a two-step process that we use to tackle gum disease and prevent permanent oral damage. First, we’ll clear all plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline to control harmful oral bacteria accumulation. This will help restore the health of your oral tissues and common symptoms like inflammation and tenderness. Then, we’ll smooth out the roots of your teeth so your gums can healthily reattach.

Laser Periodontal Therapy

Our soft tissue laser utilizes a beam of light to accurately remove any severely damaged and infected gum tissue to provide your gums with a chance to heal. It cauterizes the area at the same time it removes the tissue as well, eliminating the need for sutures, scalpels, bleeding, and a long recovery time. Plus, due to the precise nature of our soft tissue laser, this treatment is fast and comfortable.

What is Periodontal Therapy?

If gums are diseased and inflamed, it can cause an array of problems that could end up affecting your teeth. Periodontal therapy is the recommended method to help restore the area of the gums that are diseased. Periodontal therapy, also known as gum disease treatment, can take many forms for each specific case and type of issue, the primary goal of each treatment is to restore the damaged area.

Gum Disease Treatment Plan

The longer gum issues go untreated, the worse the problem gets, and more intense therapy methods may need to be. For mild cases, something as small as a deep gum cleaning may be sufficient, but in severe cases where the gum has infected the bone and tooth loss is imminent or already occurring, surgical methods such as grafting new gums to protect the nerves may be necessary.

Gum Disease and Periodontal Therapy

Despite your best efforts, avoiding gum disease during your lifetime may be impossible. It’s quite a common problem, affecting nearly half of adults. Something as simple as not cleaning or flossing as regularly as you should along with missing cleanings and regular check-ups can lead to negative consequences. However, if you suspect gum disease is already occurring, the best step is to schedule an appointment with a professional as soon as possible.

Periodontal Therapy Provider

Located in Arlington Heights, Westgate Dental Care cares about their customers and community. We strive to ensure a calm environment to help relax guests as soon as they enter. Dental appointments can sometimes leave people apprehensive, but our team comes prepared with different amenities to help even the most anxious guests ease into their visit. When dealing with gum disease, depending on how developed the case has become, some methods of treatment can be more intensive. Our dental professionals will analyze and thoroughly examine your problem, then come up with the best tactics to most effectively and efficiently help you.

At-Home Gum Care

Thankfully, gum disease can be prevented by taking the proper steps on your own time. Be sure to brush your teeth twice a day, for two minutes each session. Angle your brush at 45-degreess on your gumline to clean away as much plaque and bacteria as possible. You should also floss your teeth once a day to remove any lingering food debris from in between your teeth. Lastly, for an extra level of cleaning, use a nonalcoholic mouthwash to reach places your brush and floss couldn’t.

Westgate Dental Care focuses on patient comfort, offering noise-canceling headphones, warm blankets, and even sunglasses to reduce the harshness of bright lights in the exam room. All of our patients that undergo periodontal therapy leave feeling much healthier and happier. Dealing with gum disease doesn’t have to be an embarrassing or terrible experience, visit your dentist in Arlington Heights today to learn more.