Periodontal Treatments in Mays Landing, NJ
Here’s to healthy gums!
Protect Your Gums
Your gums play a vital part in your oral health. When your gums become infected, it can lead to a wide variety of serious health consequences. At our Mays Landing dental practice, Dr. Nosti offers periodontal treatments to eliminate gum disease and keep your gums and smile healthy for years to come.
Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the gums that typically occurs due to a lack of proper oral hygiene. It’s caused by a buildup of plaque, a type of bacteria that sticks to your teeth, and hardens into tartar – which is almost impossible to remove without a professional dental cleaning.
As this tartar accumulates, it harbors bacteria that attack the soft tissue around the gums. Once the disease progresses, it can cause damage to your overall health and require professional periodontal treatments in order to restore your smile.
There are two major stages of gum disease:
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Gingivitis: This is the early stage of gum disease, where your gums will start to look red and inflamed, but you likely won’t feel any pain or other symptoms.
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Periodontitis: Without professional treatment, gingivitis can progress into periodontitis. This is a more serious stage, where bacteria start to destroy the underlying bones and tissues in your mouth, causing severe pain and other health complications.
Risk Factors for Gum Disease?
There are many factors that are known to increase your risk of developing gum disease, such as:
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Diabetes
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Tobacco Use
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Stress
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Genetics
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Age
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Medications that reduce saliva flow
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Some health conditions, like cancer or AIDS
Scaling & Root Planning
If you suffer from a mild to moderate case of gum disease, Dr. Nosti is able to treat your condition with scaling and root planing. This is a professional deep cleaning involving specialized dental tools used to thoroughly clean your gums and remove any plaque and tartar.
We’ll smooth out the rough surfaces of your teeth and roots to prevent any bacteria from settling into the sanitized area. This provides a healthy, clean surface to encourage gum reattachment.
Surgical Treatments
If the tissue or bone damage is too severe to be repaired through scaling and root planing, you’ll likely need a surgical procedure to prevent further damage from occurring and to restore your oral health. At your appointment with Dr. Nosti, he’ll evaluate the severity of your gum disease and recommend the most effective form of treatment.
Caring For Healthy Gums
Once your gum disease has been treated, Dr. Nosti will recommend that you schedule professional cleanings, usually four times a year at our Mays Landing office. During these visits, we’ll carefully check the pocket depths to ensure they’re healthy.
In addition to these dental cleanings, you need to establish and maintain a proper at-home oral hygiene routine. This consists of brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How Soon after a Deep Cleaning Will My Symptoms Go Away?
After your deep cleaning, any discomfort and swelling should subside within a few weeks. The amount of time it takes for your symptoms to completely disappear depends on the extent of your infection.
In addition to following any recommendations by Dr. Nosti, you’ll want to rinse with warm salt water to keep your mouth free of bacteria and help promote gum healing. While you still deal with symptoms, you can use over-the-counter medications and ice to help relieve any pain or swelling.
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Can Gum Disease Be Cured?
Once gum disease has reached the stage of periodontitis, it can’t be reversed. If your gum disease is this advanced, Dr. Nosti will most likely recommend more frequent visits to stop the disease from progressing. If it’s caught early on, during the gingivitis stage, it can be reversed with a deep cleaning at our Mays Landing office.
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Can Gum Disease Go Away on Its Own?
Unfortunately, gum disease will not get better without treatment. For this reason, Dr. Nosti recommends coming into the office as soon as you notice symptoms in order to get prompt and effective treatment.
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What Signs Should I Look For to Identify Gum Disease?
Normally, patients notice the first stage of gum disease, gingivitis, first. Healthy gums appear firm and pink, whereas the early warning signs of this stage include gums that are redder and swollen. The gums may also bleed during brushing or flossing.
If you notice any of these signs, call our May’s Landing office at (609)-927-8448 to schedule a consultation and receive treatment.
