Periodontal Disease Specialist

What is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of your gums caused by a buildup of plaque and tartar on your teeth. It occurs in two stages: gingivitis and periodontitis.

Gingivitis

In the earliest stage of periodontal disease, your gums become irritated and inflamed from the bacteria in plaque and tartar. There is no lasting damage to your gums or teeth at this stage, but your gums bleed when you brush or floss. If left untreated, gingivitis develops into periodontitis.

Periodontitis

In this advanced stage of gum disease, your gums begin to pull away from the irritating plaque and tartar on your teeth. As your gums recede, pockets begin to form between your teeth and your gums. These pockets collect debris and bacteria that further irritate your gums, causing them to recede more. As your body tries to fight the infection, it breaks down the connective tissue holding your teeth in place, which eventually leads to them falling out.

Do I have periodontal disease?

Some of the signs that you might be developing periodontal disease include:

• Red, tender, or swollen gums
• Receding gums, or the appearance of longer teeth
• Bleeding when you brush or floss
• Loose teeth
• Changes in how your bite feels
• Persistent bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth

Periodontal disease is notorious for developing silently. Many people aren’t even aware that they have it until it’s already in the most advanced stages.

While its symptoms may not always be noticeable to you, Dr. Cheney and his talented team of professionals are trained to spot signs periodontal diseases at its earliest stages. It’s incredibly important to maintain regular visits with Dr. Cheney in order to stay on top of your gum health and prevent the development of the disease.

How can I treat periodontal disease?

The best treatment for periodontal disease is prevention, so it’s important to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly and keeping up-to-date with visits to Fayette Dental Group.

If you’ve developed periodontal disease, though, there are a number of different procedures that Dr. Cheney performs to get your gums healthy again.

Gingivitis can actually be reversed with nonsurgical treatments like antibiotics or a deep cleaning known as scaling and root planing. In scaling, Dr. Cheney scrapes away the plaque and tartar above and below your gum line to remove the infectious bacteria that’s irritating your gums.

In root planing, Dr. Cheney smooths out the rough spots on your tooth, making it more difficult for plaque and tartar to accumulate and giving your gums a smooth, clean surface to reattach to.

More advanced stages of periodontal disease can be treated with surgical procedures, like bone grafts, guided tissue regeneration, and flap surgery.

Let Dr. Cheney’s skills and experience get your gums back to good health today by scheduling an appointment with Fayette Dental Group. You can call the office or book online.