Are your gums sensitive? Do they bleed while brushing and flossing? You could be suffering from gum disease. Dr. Jan Katzen, Dr. Lisa Patel, or Dr. So Jung of Finksburg Dental Associates in Finksburg, MD, provide patients with the necessary care to prevent gum disease.
More About Gum Disease
Gum disease (gingivitis) is a medical condition caused by long-term exposure to plaque, sticky colorless film on teeth, that forms when someone doesn't brush and floss consistently, and/or not having your teeth professionally cleaned. Plaque forms after eating or sleeping and if teeth aren't cleaned, plaque turns to tartar.
Gum disease originates in gums because of harmful bacteria left behind from eating. People experience chronic bad breath, tender or painful swollen gums and minor bleeding after brushing or flossing. If you aren't keeping an eye out for your oral health, gingivitis can go unnoticed and eventually cause gums to separate from teeth. This creates more gaps for further infection and decay.
If you don't take care of this problem as soon as possible, you may suffer from tooth loss, abscesses, bone loss or periodontitis.
What is periodontitis?
Put simply, it is untreated gingivitis. Plaque spreads below the gum line and toxins produced by bacteria irritate and stimulates a chronic inflammatory response. Your Finksburg dentist may even find pockets of bacteria between teeth and as the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and destroy bone.
How to prevent and treat gum disease?
Preventative measures include a healthy oral regimen and regular visits to your dentist. In the case that you do get gum disease, your dentist may treat your gum disease using a technique called root planing. This is when your dentist cleans your tooth by scraping below the gum line to smooth the roots. Gums should be able to reattach themselves to the tooth.
Do you need more information?
Root scaling isn't the only procedure available to treat gum disease and if you'd like to learn more, you should contact your dentist. Dr. Jan Katzen, Dr. Lisa Patel, or Dr. So Jung of Finksburg Dental Associates in Finksburg, MD, are here to help. So, call the office at 410-861-8900 today.