Periodontal care is important because gum disease is preventable, but once it has progressed past a certain stage, it is irreversible. About 50% of adults suffer from gum disease, with most people having gingivitis, the first stage of the disease.
This stage of gum disease is reversible with proper at-home oral hygiene, visits to Dr. Paul Gibas for periodontal care, and lifestyle changes like managing diabetes, quitting smoking, and eating a healthy diet.
But if you don’t get periodontal care, your condition will only get worse. And, eventually, it will not be possible to reverse it, only control it. If you think that you have gum disease in Spartanburg, get help right away. Contact Skylyn Dental Associates now to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gibas.
Periodontal disease, more commonly called gum disease, is an infection of the gums that’s caused by inadequate oral hygiene. If you do not care for your mouth properly, bacteria will build up between your gums and teeth.
Eventually, this results in an infection of the gum tissue. At first, this doesn’t cause many serious problems. But over time, the untreated infection will spread, attack your gums and the structures below your teeth, and lead to serious oral health problems like oral pain, loose teeth, and even complete tooth loss.
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. As mentioned, it’s reversible with proper care. In gingivitis, no permanent damage has been done to your teeth or your gums. With treatments like a deep cleaning from Dr. Gibas in Spartanburg as well as good at-home oral hygiene, you can restore your oral health completely. Common symptoms of gingivitis include inflamed gums, bleeding when brushing and flossing, and bad breath (halitosis).
At this stage, some damage has been done to your teeth and gums. The bacteria will begin attacking your jaw and your teeth. However, proper periodontal care like deep cleaning from our Spartanburg practice can still halt the progression of the disease. You may start to feel pain when chewing, notice your teeth shifting, and experience increased gum bleeding. You also will notice that your gums have started to recede, making your teeth look longer.
At this point, gum disease is not reversible, but can be controlled to preserve your oral health, since not much damage will be done to your gums and teeth. Symptoms of slight periodontal disease may include puffy and tender gums, gum discoloration, and growing “pockets” between your gums and teeth.
In this stage of gum disease, serious damage has been done to your teeth and gums. It may not be possible to save all of your teeth, and you may need surgical treatments to restore your bone, gums, and other oral structures. If these periodontal treatments fail, you may need to have most or all of your teeth extracted and replaced with dentures. You may notice symptoms like a foul taste in your mouth, pus oozing between the gums and teeth, and tooth loosening or loss.
