Protecting your smile after receiving a gum disease diagnosis is critical to preserving your remaining healthy tissue. Fortunately, the same behaviors that protect against tooth decay help bolster your defense against gum infection. When bacterial deposits take hold of the surface of your teeth, they can cause an inflammatory process that leads to gum recession. As the gums peel back, pockets form where plaque and tartar can burrow deeper. This reinforces the severity of your infection by feeding the inflammatory process. By attending regular dental checkups, we may be able to detect your infection in its first stage while it is still reversible. However, when gum disease reaches the bone, it becomes permanent and requires lifelong maintenance.
At your Prairie Village, KS, dental practice we offer periodontal maintenance services that help place your infection into remission. While this condition is the primary cause of tooth loss among adults today, regular care can prevent the loss of additional material. Services such as scaling and root planing can remove bacterial deposits both above and below the gumline to protect your sensitive tissues. If you notice any signs of an infection, do not delay in seeking treatment!
The Consequences Of Poor Oral Hygiene
What happens when you neglect daily brushing and flossing? Each of our mouths contains hundreds of strains of oral bacteria that can feast on remnants of our meals left on our teeth. Failing to remove these deposits regularly can allow bacteria to form plaque and tartar formations that irritate the connective tissue between your teeth and jawbone. By making your at-home care a priority and attending semiannual checkups, you can remove plaque and tartar before they cause permanent damage. The longer you forego oral hygiene, the more likely your gums are to recede and create pockets of bacteria that attach deep into your smile’s roots. If you notice soreness, bleeding, or chronic bad breath that will not go away, give us a call for an appointment right away!
Periodontal Maintenance Care
When we detect an active gum infection we will guide getting it under control. This could include a scaling and root planing procedure that targets bacterial growth above and below the gumline. By removing deeper deposits of bacteria, you remove a source of irritation that your brush and floss may not be able to reach. A standard dental cleaning cannot remove these harmful formations either.
Talk To Your Prairie Village, KS, Dentist About Maintaining Healthy Gums
If you suspect you suffer from gingivitis, do not put off visiting the dentist. A week could make the difference between a permanent lifelong infection and a temporary inconvenience. If you would like more information on how we help you maintain your gums, please reach out to our Prairie Village, KS dentist’s office at 913-901-8585.
