Be Prepared To Treat, Prevent Periodontal Disease

You floss and brush your teeth before bed. You notice some blood when you spit into the sink. Should you be worried? Yes, that blood is a symptom of gum disease, and you need to know what to do about it.

Fortunately, you can find professional gum disease treatment in Reading, MA, at our office, First Dental Associates. You can count on Dr. Sadeghi and our team to treat you with care and compassion to make your treatment as painless as possible.

We want you to know the signs of periodontal disease, how it can be treated, and what you should do to prevent it.

Start by making regular appointments at our dentist office. Call 781-384-6971 or use our online form to schedule your next visit if you haven’t already.

Be Mindful Of Gum Disease Symptoms

Gum disease can develop for a long time before you feel any pain. This is why we hope you will take some time to learn gum disease symptoms. Knowing what to watch for will make it easier to know when you should call for help.

With that said, we do hope you will call us as soon as possible to make an appointment if your gums are hurting.

Here’s what to watch for:

◼︎ Red, swollen gums

◼︎ Bleeding gums

◼︎ Bad breath or a bad taste that won’t go away

◼︎ Pimple-like bumps on your gums

◼︎ Sore, tender gums

◼︎ Pus leaking from your gums

◼︎ Receding gums

◼︎ Loose teeth

We’ve mentioned it before, but it’s worth stating again. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the United States. Ignoring the signs of periodontal disease can have a big impact on your smile.

First Dental Associates wants to help if you do have gum disease, but you have to call 781-384-6971 to make an appointment.

Gum Disease Treatment

In serious cases, surgery may be the only way to remove an infection from your gums. We really hope that you will visit our dentist office in Reading, MA, long before this is necessary.

Before we get to that stage, however, we will try to use non-surgical gum disease treatments to remove both the infection and what caused it.

Often, one of the first steps in periodontal treatment is what we consider a “deep cleaning.” If you’ve had a professional dental cleaning, then you are familiar with a scaler, a tool with short hooks on either end.

The deep cleaning process is called scaling and root planing. During this treatment, a dentist or dental hygienist will remove plaque and tartar build-up from the roots of your teeth. Plaque is a sticky film made by the bacteria that cause gum disease (and tooth decay). If the plaque hardens, it becomes tartar.

By removing the plaque and tartar, we are removing many bacteria as well.

To kill any remaining bacteria and to reduce the risk of more bacteria coming to the infected space, you may receive an antibacterial gel called Arestin®. Many times this is enough to avoid surgery.

If it is needed, you may have a procedure to remove infected tissue along with a gum graft to replace the tissue that was lost or removed.

Our goal is to keep your gums as healthy as possible and to keep your teeth intact.

Gum Disease Prevention

If there is some good news in this discuss, it’s that you have the knowledge and the tools to prevent gum disease.

Start by making sure that you follow the American Dental Association’s guidelines about brushing and flossing daily.

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to scrub your teeth for two minutes twice a day. Also remember to floss daily to clean the spaces between your teeth and under your gumline.

By doing both of those things, you will remove many bacteria from your mouth. You won’t ever remove all of them (bacteria are resilient). Yet. routine home care can keep bacteria from getting out of control and damaging your gums and teeth.

It’s just as important that you visit First Dental Associates a few times each year for routine cleanings and examinations. During your visit, we will be watching for signs of gum disease. We will let you know what we have found and what you should do next to get rid of the infection.

In the case of mild gum disease, you may be able to reverse it by being more deliberate about your daily oral hygiene routine.

In the case of advanced gum disease, we will let you know what you can and should do to remove the infection before your teeth are at risk, too.

Making An Appointment

Whether you need a gum disease treatment or you are trying to prevent it, you should make an appointment at First Dental Associates soon.

Call [phone] or contact us online to plan your visit.