Carlsbad Periodontal Care

Make Gum Disease Something of the past

Gum disease is a common condition that affects your oral and overall health. If left untreated, the bacterial infection from gum disease might spread into your bloodstream, causing severe complications. Gum disease happens to be a chronic condition that worsens with time, so you must seek treatment the moment you notice the first signs. At Carlsbad Beach Dental, Drew Addy DDS, we identify and treat gum disease at the earliest stage possible.

To learn more about periodontal care, please contact Carlsbad Beach Dental, Drew Addy DDS, at (760) 729-5881 or schedule an appointment online today.

Carlsbad Beach Dental - Drew Addy, DDS in Carlsbad

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal (gum) disease is a bacterial infection of the gums, usually caused by poor oral hygiene habits or inadequate dental cleanings. The bacteria in our mouths often clump together into a sticky white substance called plaque, which eventually hardens into tartar. You can remove the plaque with regular brushing and flossing, but not the tartar. You need regular dental cleanings to remove all the accumulated plaque and tartar.

Why should you treat it?

If you avoid dental cleanings and maintain poor oral hygiene, the accumulated plaque and tartar eventually start eating away your dental structures and gums. They may gather around the gums and increase the pockets of space between the gums and teeth, leading to gum recession. Over time, the inflammation of the gum tissues leads to periodontal disease, starting with gingivitis and then progressing to periodontitis.

Poor oral hygiene and lack of dental cleanings are the most common causes of periodontal disease. However, the risk of periodontal disease also increases because of other factors, such as smoking, diabetes, hormonal changes in women, pregnancy, AIDS, genetic predisposition, and the use of certain medications. You can avoid periodontal disease through regular dental cleanings — Dr. Addy recommends regular cleanings and dental checkups to maintain optimal oral health.

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“I was referred here by someone in my pilates class. I love going here. The atmosphere is always inviting and my oral hygienist is so gentle and caring during teeth and gum cleanings! Great place!”

When Do I Need Periodontal Care?

If you don’t treat gum disease at an early stage, the bacteria can eventually spread to the surrounding dental structures. It starts eating away your tooth roots to expose the underlying bone structure, leading to advanced periodontal disease (periodontitis). At this stage, gum disease can be extremely dangerous because the infection may spread to your bloodstream, increasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and other complications.

As such, you need periodontal care the moment you notice the first signs and symptoms of gum disease, such as:

Persistent bad breath due to bacterial accumulation
Red, swollen, or inflamed gums
Extremely tender gums that bleed easily
Bleeding gums
Painful sensations while chewing
Loose teeth due to gum recession
Toothaches and sensitivity
Longer-appearing teeth due to gum recession

Periodontal Care Diagnosis

Dr. Addy firmly believes that prevention is better than cure. That’s why he recommends regular dental checkups and cleanings — he helps you maintain optimal oral health to avoid periodontal disease altogether. He also looks for the smallest signs of gum disease or infection to treat the issue before it can worsen. The diagnosis of gum disease is a combination of visual inspection and digital X-rays.

During the visual inspection, the dentist examines the pockets of space between your gums and teeth, checks the amount of accumulated plaque and tartar, probes the gum to see how easily they bleed and identifies loose teeth. He also takes digital X-rays of your mouth to look for signs of jawbone loss or damage, which would indicate advanced periodontitis. He creates a treatment plan accordingly.

Periodontal Care: Treatment Options

Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing, also known as deep dental cleaning, is the best treatment option for the early stages of gum disease. The dentist uses a special tool called a scaler to remove all the accumulated plaque and tartar from the teeth and the gum line. The dentist removes all the plaque and tartar in the pockets of space between your gums and teeth.

Dr. Addy also smoothens the surface of the roots and eliminates all the debris and bacteria. Root planing allows your gums to heal around the teeth, restoring optimal oral health. After the plaque, tartar, and bacteria are removed, the dentist might place antibiotic fibers into the pockets formed by the bacteria. This ensures the bacterial infection dies down for good.

Laser Treatment
We also use a gentle soft tissue laser to treat early periodontitis and restore optimal oral health. Dr. Addy uses the latest therapy to remove all the inflamed and infected gum tissues around the teeth. Once the infected tissues are removed, the dentist smoothens the roots of the affected teeth to facilitate gum healing. Over time, the gums heal and tighten around the affected teeth, restoring optimal oral health.

In rare cases, if you’ve been neglecting periodontal care for extended periods, the gum disease may have advanced enough to make the previous methods inadequate. In those extreme and rare cases, you might need surgical intervention to preserve or restore your oral health. That’s why you must contact Dr. Addy at Carlsbad Beach Dental, Drew Addy DDS, whenever you notice the first signs of gum disease.

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