Periodontitis is one of the most severe and prominent gum diseases. It often takes a serious toll on one’s oral health. Periodontitis is mainly caused by microbes in the mouth that get deposited on the tongue, gums, teeth, and other oral tissues and form plaque on the teeth. If plaque stays for a longer time on one’s teeth, it forms tartar, which houses thousands of harmful bacteria. Plaque and tartar deposits severely damage our teeth, gums, and jawbones, causing periodontitis.

There is a whole branch of dentistry that deals with such oral conditions called Periodontics. A Periodontist specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum diseases. They receive extensive training in these areas and are experts in treating all types of gum diseases.

Portrait of patient giving thumb up at dentist

What are the Symptoms of Periodontitis?

  • Bleeding gums
  • Red, swollen, or tender gums
  • Difficulty in chewing
  • Tooth loss
  • Gradual bone loss
  • Pus discharge
  • Bad breath or discoloration
  • Teeth loosening from their jawbone sockets

How Is Periodontitis Treated?

Getting periodontitis treated in its early stages is very important to halt its spread and keep it from causing severe symptoms. These treatments are:

Oral Cleaning

Accumulated plaque and tartar on teeth are the leading cause of periodontitis. We will first deeply clean your teeth and gums from above and under your gum line and then use an ultrasonic scaling device. It will loosen and dislodge the calcified microbial deposits from the teeth surfaces, which will be washed away using a jet of water. These procedures are known as scaling and root planing.

Medication

There are antibiotic medicines that are effective in eliminating gum infection, such as Arestin, and also saving the gums from reinfection. We usually prefer placing it in the deep gum pockets to facilitate optimum healing of the tissues.

Laser Gum Therapy

We will use a laser to remove the gum tissues that are inflamed due to the disease around your tooth roots. Plaque and tartar deposits around your teeth and gums will be removed. Next, we use a hand-held tool to smooth out rough surfaces on your teeth and tooth roots, which reduces the chances of reinfection and microbial accumulation. This procedure is pain-free, and the recovery time is also shorter.

Surgical Treatments

We may refer you to a periodontist if we think surgery is the best option to treat your affected gums and jawbone. One procedure is gum grafting, in which the periodontist will extract healthy tissues from the palate and graft them on the affected area. This will increase the volume of gum tissue in the area where the gum line has receded. Another method is flap surgery, where the periodontist will pull back a section of your gums to clean and restore the roots of your teeth and damaged bone. The gum will be placed back in its position, and necessary medicines will be prescribed.

Please reach out to our dental practice in Fremont, CA, to have a consultation with our dentist, Dr. Louie. Please call us at (510) 606-1374 or schedule an online consultation, and we’ll guide you further.