For many people, soreness of the gums or the presence of blood when brushing are enough to frighten them back onto the path of judicious dental care. For others, it takes a little more discomfort before they finally step up their personal dental hygiene routine.
As gum disease progresses in severity, it becomes harder to manage alone. And after a certain point, only a dentist can help you stop things from worsening and restore your teeth and gums to a healthy state. Take a look at what you can do at home to combat gum disease, as well as what your dentist can do for you in-office when your efforts at home are no longer enough.
What You Can Do at Home
In its early stages, gum disease is known as gingivitis. At this stage, a blend of leftover food particles and bacteria harden against the visible surfaces of the teeth and the gums tend to swell. At this stage, no irreversible damage has been done.
While you’ll need to have a dental professional remove tartar from your teeth, these are steps you can take at home to combat gum disease.
Brush regularly
Use an electric toothbrush for a thorough cleaning
Use a Waterpik and floss to clean between teeth
Use an antibacterial mouth wash
What Your Dentist Can Do In-Office
A simple teeth cleaning can give you a reset on gingivitis. But when tartar dips deep below the gum line, it creates pockets of bacteria between the teeth roots and gums. Beyond this point, gum disease is classified as periodontitis. The irreversible damage starts at this stage and only gets worse if it progresses to the final stage, advanced periodontitis.
Your dentist can help stop the damage of periodontitis and advanced periodontitis through a number of procedures, including the below and more:
Deep cleaning to remove tartar from teeth roots and eliminate pockets
Gum grafting to replenish your gum line with soft tissue from the roof of your mouth
Pinhole® Surgical Technique to stretch receding gums back over the areas they left exposed
Schedule a Consultation
Take a moment to schedule an appointment with a South Florida dentist to learn more about your options for treating gum disease in Miami, FL.
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