Gum Disease Treatment – Henderson, NV
Keeping Your Gum Tissue Safe
Gum problems are widespread across the United States. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) find nearly half of adult Americans have gum disease. That’s a huge deal – untreated infections of gum tissue can quickly ruin a strong smile. Thankfully, our office is always ready with gum disease treatment in Henderson. Discover how Dr. Noorda can use it to heal your gums by reading below or booking a visit!
Why Choose Dental Excellence: Dr. Brett Noorda for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Gentle, Experienced & Caring Hygienists
- 1400+ Hours of Continuing Education
- Relax & Rest During Treatment
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an infection of your gums, which are the soft mouth tissues around your teeth. It tends to result from plaque buildup due to poor eating, bad oral care, and similar habits. The condition has other risk factors as well: genetics, tobacco use, and so on.
In general, gum disease has two distinct stages. The first one is gingivitis – a mild gum inflammation that can be rather annoying for the patient. This inflammation can then slowly develop into gum disease’s second stage: periodontitis. At that point, the patient will have an infection that attacks their jaw and gum tissue. While gingivitis can be reversed with good oral care, periodontitis can only be managed.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
Because gum disease has two stages, it can cause many symptoms. Which signs you show will depend on your infection’s severity and progress.
For example, just look at gingivitis. This early form of gum disease has (relatively) mild symptoms, including:
- Swollen gums
- Gum tenderness
- Red, bleeding gums
- Gum recession
- Chronic bad breath (i.e., halitosis)
In contrast, periodontitis has harsher symptoms that make a big impact. These are:
- Tooth sensitivity (often due to gum recession)
- Chewing pain
- A shift in your bite
- Loose permanent teeth
- Changes in your restoration’s fit
- Permanent tooth loss
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
Once you arrive for care, Dr. Noorda will examine your mouth to assess your condition. He’ll then review his findings to determine which of our two treatment options you need. These include:
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a “deep cleaning” of the area below your gumline, often taking place over the course of one visit. The initial “scaling” removes plaque from your teeth (including their roots) to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in your mouth. Later, “root planing” will smooth out your dental roots to ensure your gums healthily reattach to them. This second step also protects the treated area from re-infection, making another case of gum disease unlikely.
Antibiotic Treatment
If your gum disease is severe, we may suggest antibiotic treatment along with scaling and root planing. This procedure often prescribes antibiotics in the form of a pill or mouthwash. Taking either form of medicine would greatly minimize infection symptoms, ensuring your gums can heal and recover. That said, we can also place the antibiotics directly into the infected sites if you need a more direct effect.