Do your gums bleed when you brush or floss? Are your gums sensitive? At Katy Smile Designs, Dr. Catherine Wilder and Dr. Lauren Shepard offer periodontal disease treatment in Katy, TX. Periodontitis, or gum disease, begins with gum inflammation. Gum inflammation, or gingivitis, can cause bleeding and irritated gums.
Periodontal treatment restores the teeth and gums through antibacterial rinses, scaling and root planing, and laser dentistry. But what should patients look out for when it comes to gingivitis and periodontitis?
Signs of Gum Disease
Symptoms of gingivitis and periodontitis include:
- Red and bleeding gums
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Gum sensitivity and swelling
- Loose teeth
- Tender gums
- Toothaches
- Gum recession
- Bone loss
Please contact our office as soon as you notice gum sensitivity or swelling. Gum disease can be reversed in the earliest stages. However, it is more difficult to treat patients with severe periodontal problems.
The Stages of Gum Disease
Gingivitis
This is the first stage of gum disease and the only one that’s reversible. Plaque builds up around the gumline, causing irritation and inflammation to the gum tissue. Many of the signs and symptoms aren’t painful and a large portion of the population has this stage but doesn’t realize it. The most prominent sign is regularly bleeding gums. If caught in this stage, it can be reversed with proper oral health care and possibly a special antibacterial rinse from your dentist.
Mild Periodontal Disease
At this stage, the infection is no longer reversible, but it can be managed. The infection gets into your jawbone and begins to destroy it because the bacteria are more aggressive. We use scaling and root planing to keep things under control at this stage. Then, we clean out the gum pockets that have formed, ridding them of bacteria and other debris. We smooth down the tooth roots, too, so that the gum tissue reattaches to the bone.
Moderate Periodontal Disease
The bacteria become even more aggressive at this stage. Not only are they attacking your bone, but your bloodstream as well. When they’re in your bloodstream, infection and inflammation travel and affect other parts of your body. Like mild periodontal disease, scaling and root planing are used to manage this stage as well.
Severe Periodontal Disease
The infection evolves into full-blown infectious bacteria at this stage. Your breath is severely bad, your gums have sores and ooze pus, and it’s painful to chew or bite things. If left alone, tooth loss will happen. It can be hard to eat, speak, and have a normal life with this stage of gum disease. The only way this stage can be managed is gum surgery or laser periodontal treatment.
Periodontal Treatments
There are a variety of treatments that we offer for gum inflammation and infection:
Antibacterial Rinses
For patients with gingivitis, we offer antibacterial rinses. These rinses provide a gentle treatment for patients who have red, swollen, or irritated gums. They remove harmful bacteria from the teeth and gums and can help stop gum disease from developing.
Scaling and Root Planing
Used in tandem, scaling and root planing are treatments that help remove harmful bacteria for a deep clean. For scaling, our team uses specialized tools to remove plaque, a sticky bacterial film, from around the gums. Root planing goes beneath the gums, smoothing the tooth roots and removing plaque buildup. Planing also helps combat gum recession.
Perio Protect Trays
We use Perio Trays™ from Perio Protect to deliver medicine to the gums. To begin treatment, we will take dental impressions to create the Perio Trays™. We send these impressions to a lab, where the trays are made to our specifications. Once the trays are complete, we provide patients with their trays and prescription medication. At home, patients will place the medication into the trays and place the trays on their teeth. The trays deliver the medication to the gums and below the gum line. They are sealed to ensure the medication works effectively to fight off bacteria in the periodontal pockets and help repair the gum tissue.
Periodontal Disease Treatment FAQS
What can you not do after a periodontal treatment?
While your mouth is still numb, avoid eating anything. On the first day after treatment, avoid eating anything tough, piercing, crunchy, or coarse. For roughly 48 hours, refrain from drinking hot beverages, and avoid using mouthwash.
How long does it take to heal after periodontal treatment?
The extent of your gum disease will determine how long it takes for your gums to heal. While deeper pockets can take months to fully heal, it can take anywhere between 2 and 4 weeks for minor ones. For the first few days, it is suggested that you eat only soft foods because your mouth will be sore and swollen.
Can I eat after periodontal treatment?
Avoid eating foods that are sticky or hard (like ice cubes, nuts, popcorn, or chips). The best food options include soups, noodles, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, etc. We recommend sticking to a soft diet for the first few days following treatment.
Does periodontitis go away after deep cleaning?
Gum disease is more common in people who do not practice good dental hygiene. Gum disease can be successfully treated in its early stages using expert deep cleaning procedures and a variety of other treatments. Practicing good oral hygiene is crucial to healing from gum disease.
Does a periodontal cleaning hurt?
Periodontal therapy may cause some discomfort, but it will likely be considerably less than you expect. One of the reasons people delay visiting the dentist after noticing symptoms is due to dental anxiety. Please remember that the sooner you seek treatment, the easier the condition will be to treat.
How long does periodontal teeth cleaning take?
Professional teeth cleaning typically lasts between 30 minutes to an hour. The amount of plaque that needs to be removed and the state of the teeth will significantly determine how long the cleaning takes. A complete routine session typically lasts between an hour and 90 minutes.
Request a Dental Consultation
If you have noticed that your gums are swollen, red, or sensitive, call our office for a consultation. You can contact Katy Smile Design today at 281.396.4366. Alternatively, you can request a dental appointment with Dr. Wilder and Dr. Shepard on our website.