Gum Disease Treatment – Bloomingdale, IL

What is Gum Disease?

Also referred to as periodontal disease, this common problem occurs when a bacterial infection develops in the soft tissues surrounding your teeth. What can start as inflammation, tenderness, redness, and slight bleeding when brushing and flossing can quickly escalate to more serious issues that affect the jawbone and teeth. If bacteria are allowed to accumulate and spread beneath the gum line, they can enter the bloodstream and pose a serious risk to your overall health as well.

Symptoms of Gum Disease

The most common signs of gum disease include:

• Red, inflamed, bleeding gums
• Oral sores that do not easily heal
• Bad breath
• Loose teeth
• Jawbone deterioration
• A change in your bite
• Gum recession

In the most serious cases, you can actually experience tooth loss as well as a weakening of your jawbone. Should you require prosthetics to replace your missing teeth, you may be required to undergo a bone graft to help strengthen your bone.

Treatment Options for Gum Disease

Learning you have gum disease may not be the news you want to hear, but you can rest easier knowing there are services available to help restore your gum health. During a regular appointment, we will discuss the necessity of implementing one of the following treatment options:

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing is a two-step process that can take place over the course of one or two appointments to our dental office, depending on the advancement of your gum disease. We’ll begin by thoroughly removing all plaque and tartar from the surface of your teeth, as far down as the pockets of your gums (scaling). Then, we’ll remove any hardened pockets of bacteria on the roots of the teeth (root planing), which will allow the gums to healthily reattach to the structure and protect these vulnerable areas against future reinfection.

Arestin Antibiotic Therapy

Arestin antibiotic therapy doesn’t involve taking a pill or rinsing your mouth with a prescription mouthwash. We’ll place small microspheres into the pockets of your gums that will gradually release antibiotics and target the origin of your oral infection. This will help minimize the accumulation of harmful oral bacteria and provide your immune system with a little help fighting off the condition.

Soft Tissue Laser Therapy

Laser periodontal therapy utilizes our advanced soft tissue laser to remove damaged oral tissues seamlessly and quickly, only leaving healthy tissues behind, and eliminating harmful oral bacteria. This may be recommended if you have mild to moderate gum disease symptoms. Due to the advanced technology we use during this therapy, we’re able to minimize any bleeding, reduce your recovery time, and make the process more comfortable by eliminating the need for scalpels and sutures.

The Importance of Treating Gum Disease Early

Catching gum disease in its earliest stages is important. Why? Because you can actually reverse the symptoms! However, if it is left untreated and problems worsen among your teeth, jawbone, and gums, you run the risk of the infection and inflammation entering your bloodstream. When this happens, various areas of your body can be impacted, including your heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, gut, and other vital organs. As a result, your chances of developing any of the following increase:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Cognitive disorders (i.e., Alzheimer’s, Dementia)
• Respiratory disease
• And more