Periodontal Care in Rothschild
Periodontal disease affects nearly half of all Americans. While the early stages of gum disease (gingivitis) can be difficult to detect because there are not many pronounced symptoms, the disease can easily progress if proper oral hygiene care is not followed.
If you think that you may have gum disease, it is critical to get treatment as soon as possible. Early periodontal care is the only way to prevent chronic, irreversible periodontitis. At Skutak Dental we offer judgment-free care and effective treatments for gum disease with a focus on prevention and early detection.
understanding
Periodontal Disease
Gingivitis refers to an infection and inflammation of the gums. This is caused by the buildup of plaque and tartar on or below the gumline.
Plaque is a sticky substance composed of oral bacteria. Without proper brushing and flossing your teeth or having routine cleanings and oral exams, this plaque can harden into a calcified substance called “tartar”.
In turn, this causes an infection of the gums. The gums will become tender and inflamed as they attempt to fight back against the infection.
If you do not seek treatment, periodontal disease can cause issues like the loosening and loss of your teeth, oral abscesses and infections, and even a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
The signs and symptoms of
Gingivitis
Early stages of gum disease, known as “gingivitis” often have symptoms that are quite minor. These include:
- Tenderness and swelling of gums
- Bleeding while brushing teeth
- Dark or reddish gums
- Bad breath (halitosis)
- Gum recession
- Loose teeth
- Changes in your bite
- Spaces in between the teeth
- Total tooth loss (avulsion)
- Pain and discomfort while chewing
- Periodontal infections
Periodontal Care
and Gum Disease Treatment
There are many different treatments available for periodontal disease. One of the most common is a “deep cleaning”, also known as “scaling and root planing”.
During this treatment at our Rothschild office, the hygienist will use dental instruments to clean below the gumline to remove bacteria from the root surface to prevent further infection. Antibiotics may also be placed below the gumline to help fight infections.
Advanced cases of periodontal disease are not reversible. To keep the infection from progressing any further and to maintain a reasonable level of oral health, patients who suffer from advanced periodontal disease should be seen for regular 3-month periodontal cleanings with Dr. Skutak. Since the disease is irreversible, it is very important to seek help for periodontal disease as soon as possible.
What to Expect At
Your Deep Cleaning Appointment
Your deep cleaning will be split into two appointments unless you prefer to have it done in one long appointment. When you arrive at our office for your deep cleaning, Dr. Skutak will administer a local anesthetic to numb your mouth to prevent pain sensation.
Additional sedation is also available if you have dental anxiety. During the first appointment, we will scale below the gum line to remove plaque and tartar deposits that have been trapped in deep gum pockets.
When you return for the second appointment, root planing will be performed. Scaling is performed on the tooth’s roots to remove more bacteria and smooth the tooth roots. This primes your receded gums for reattachment and this will also shrink the size of the gum pockets so you can heal from the infection and stop accumulating plaque and tartar.
Another follow-up appointment will be scheduled so we can check on the condition of your gums to make sure you don’t still have an active infection. Regular deep cleanings are recommended for patients with advanced periodontitis to maintain their periodontal health.
We will measure your gum pockets at your checkup to make sure that they’re shrinking. Gum pocket depths can help us determine if you still have gum disease and will need further treatment. If you need a dental cleaning, contact us at Skutak Dental today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lisa Skutak.
Can Gum Disease
Affect My Overall Health?
Yes, gum disease can take a toll on your overall health. This is because your oral health is a window into the rest of your physical health. They are interlinked, not separate. Studies have shown that bacteria and infections from oral health problems are linked with up to 120 health conditions.
Gum disease in particular is strongly linked with a high risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, heart attack, Alzheimer's, hypertension, blood clots, and cancer. This is because gum inflammation increases systemic inflammation in the body. There is also a strong link between gum disease and sleep apnea as well as premature births and low-weight babies.
This increases blood pressure, plaque in the arteries, and high blood sugar. This is why prevention is so important. Not only does periodontal care prevent tooth loss and gum recession associated with gum disease, but it also prevents serious health conditions that can take years off of your lifespan.
About half the adult population develops gingivitis at some point in their life, but if this develops into periodontitis which causes irreversible damage to your soft tissues and jawbone, that’s when you see a drastic increase in your risk for serious health conditions because of severe inflammation in the body.
have questions
Contact Us today!
You can contact us by phone at (715) 355-4433, or come by our office at 700 Eagle Nest Boulevard, Suite E, Rothschild, WI 54474 to get started with your personalized periodontal care plan.
