Finding Affordable Periodontal Treatment in Houston

Gum disease, known in the dental field as periodontal disease, is a very serious affliction of the gums that can ultimately lead to painful gums, tooth loss, and bone infections if left untreated.

Periodontitis can be prevented with proper hygiene and oral care, but if it does develop, you are not without help. A skilled Houston dentist can treat the problem and send you home with the means to stave off the infection and get back to normal.

Severity Level

Periodontitis is the second of three levels for periodontal disease.

Level 1:The first level is gingivitis, which is usually a nuisance, but doesn’t otherwise affect the patient on a grand scale.

Level 2:Once gingivitis advances, or is skipped entirely at times, periodontitis poses a more serious threat. At this stage, the gums can become tender to the touch and discolored, pus may be seen around the gums, and teeth may become separated from their neighbors or become loose.

Level 3:The next stage of periodontitis, advanced periodontitis, poses even greater risks, such as losing teeth and having an infection in the jawbone.

Risks, Causes, and Symptoms

There are certain factors that can affect the development of gum disease:

●     Carcinogens and toxins found in cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products increase the risk of periodontal disease and lung or mouth cancer.

●     Weakened immune systems of diabetics.

●     The greatest, most common risk, however, comes from poor oral hygiene habits. Taking good care of your teeth will do a lot more than make them look good; it can very well prevent diseases.

The actual cause of periodontitis is the hardening of plaque at the gum line to form tartar. This denser form of plaque is home to a whole colony of bacteria that looks for a new food source: the soft tissue of the gums.

Ultimately, this infestation leads to an infection, which becomes periodontitis.

           

The earliest symptoms of gum disease you might notice are those of gingivitis: swollen or bleeding gums. With great care, you can reverse the course of gum disease at this stage, but leaving it untouched can cause it to progress.

When the gums become a bright red or purple color, become swollen and tender, and have a perpetual bad breath even after brushing, they’ve reached the stage of periodontitis. In more severe cases, you might also notice loose teeth, a space developing between teeth, or pus.

Periodontal Disease Treatment in Houston

●     A visual examination is performed at our Tanglewood dentist office to determine the extent of the gum disease.

●     A dental probe checks for pocket depth under the gums. Shallow pockets mean healthy gums while deep pockets signify infection.

●     If deep pockets are found, x-ray imaging checks the inside of gums and the surrounding bones and teeth.

●     In minor to moderate cases of periodontal disease, we perform scaling to scrape the hardened tartar from the teeth and under the gums.

○     This process can be uncomfortable, but with sedation dentistry reduces the amount of discomfort felt during the procedure.

●     In more severe cases, root planing is also used. This procedure smooths out the roots of the teeth to reduce the area where bacteria can cling and cause further infection.

●     Lastly, an antibiotic may be prescribed to kill off any remaining infection.

Reversing the Damage of Advanced Periodontal Disease

Gingivitis can be annoying, periodontal disease can be painful, and advanced periodontal disease can be devastating.

Taking care of your teeth is just a part of maintaining overall oral hygiene. The tongue and gums should also be cared for as they can harbor some nasty bacteria that leads to infection.

And if the infections are not addressed early on, they can spread, causing all sorts of havoc in your mouth, including losing teeth and infecting bones.

Causes of Advanced Periodontal Disease

Advanced periodontal disease, or advanced gum disease, stems from an infection that was not contained and eliminated. The infection has spread, damaging tissue throughout your gums and possibly infecting the bone.

The infection itself may come from one of several different situations, including poor oral hygiene, poorly fitting dental implants, and accidents.

Plaque, the waste left by bacteria, fosters more bacterial growth and provides a haven for them. When it hardens to form tartar, it provides more protection for the bacteria, allowing it to spread further.

Treating Advanced Periodontal Disease in Houston

At the earlier stages of gum disease, gingivitis and periodontitis, antibiotics, deep cleaning, and proper hygiene are usually enough to clear up any infection and get your mouth back to normal.

Instead, surgical procedures are needed to remove the infection at its source: clusters of bacteria under the gum line.

When tartar hardens along the gum line, it can become nearly impossible to root out the bacteria below, clinging to the roots of the teeth.

As such, it can grow virtually unchecked.

This can lead to pockets of infected tissue, and they can cause gums to swell and become painfully tender.

What’s worse is that these pockets can cause changes to your gums themselves. They may deteriorate, causing teeth to become loose or fall out. The gums may also change color from pink to purple.

Eventually, the infection can reach the jawbone.

This is where advanced periodontal disease is at its worst. If it infects the bones of your jaw, bone grafts may be needed to repair the damage and keep the bones from supplying infected blood.

Other treatments for advanced periodontal disease include flap surgery and guided tissue regeneration.

Available Treatments in Houston

Grafts, both soft tissue and bone, are used to replace tissue or bone that has been damaged with other tissue or bone from the patient them self, a donor, or with synthetic material.

Flap surgery uses small incisions in the gums to peel up a flap of tissue and treat the infection underneath. This method is very direct and allows the dentist to scale the teeth (scrape the bacteria out) and contour the roots (root planing).

Guided Tissue Regeneration uses a bio compatible fabric that encourages gum tissue to grow while preventing anything else from growing. It is primarily used to strengthen the areas of the gums where teeth are at risk of falling out.

These methods of treatment are available at dental offices in Houston and while they may be uncomfortable, especially in the case of grafts, they are often necessary to protect your teeth from falling out.

A skilled Houston dentist can perform these treatments along with sedation dentistry to reduce the amount of discomfort experience, saving the teeth from further damage.

After the procedure, proper oral hygiene at home will prevent this condition from reappearing in the future.

Seeking Gingivitis Treatment in 77057

One form of gum disease that can cause bleeding of the gums is known as gingivitis. This form of gum disease is more common earlier on in life, usually during the teenage years.

If it isn’t treated with proper oral hygiene, gingivitis can turn into periodontitis, which is the next stage of gum disease.

Gingivitis can easily be identified and treated by your local Houston dentist in the Memorial / Galleria area.

Signs of Gingivitis

Since gingivitis is the earliest form of gum disease, the symptoms aren’t always apparent.

The biggest things to look out for include:

●     Swollen gums, which can be puffy in appearance

●     Discolored gums, usually a milky red and white color

●     Bleeding gums, usually when brushing your teeth or eating certain foods

These are the most common symptoms, but not everyone will experience them all. Some people may not experience any symptoms of gingivitis, which is why it is important to regularly visit your Houston dentist for a checkup.

Risk Factors

Teenagers are more likely to develop gingivitis than any other age group. Teenage girls are also especially susceptible to gingivitis and other gum diseases due to hormonal changes in the body.

These changes can alter the structure of the gums as the body adapts, leaving them vulnerable to infection.

Smoking is another concern that increases the risk of gingivitis. The toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke and other tobacco damage the gum tissue and can lead to gum disease. Even secondhand smoke carries a risk of gum disease.

Gingivitis Treatment in Houston

Fortunately, gingivitis is an easily treated form of gum disease. In fact, it is possible to reverse it at home.

Proper oral hygiene using toothbrushes and toothpaste along with floss and mouth rinse will kill off the bacteria that lead to gingivitis.

But the prime area to focus on is getting rid of plaque, especially along the gum line.

Plaque is the leftover waste from bacteria feeding on the minerals and tissue on your teeth and gums. It is a residue that changes the texture of your teeth from the typically smooth enamel to a soft felt like texture.

In addition to home care, regular visits to the dentist’s office in the 77057 area will more effectively treat, reverse, and prevent gingivitis.