Gum disease affects more than half of all American adults, and that number increases with age. When gum health is ignored, small concerns can worsen over time, making early general dentistry care an important part of protecting your oral health.
At Norfolk County Dental Care, Dr. Xi Sun and her caring team provide periodontal disease treatment for patients in Norfolk, MA, and nearby communities. With a whole-body approach to dentistry and a focus on patient-first care, the practice helps you protect your gums, preserve your teeth, and support better long-term oral health.
What is Periodontal Disease?
When gum disease first develops, it may present with few symptoms. Bleeding or redness are often the first signs that your gums have an infection. It is possible to reverse early gum disease (gingivitis) and restore healthy tissue.
As gum disease progresses to periodontitis, professional attention can keep the infection under control, but patients will always be at risk of recurrence.
What Causes Periodontal Disease?
For the most part, periodontal disease develops due to poor home care or a lack of professional dental cleanings. Other factors also play a role in developing periodontal disease:
- Medical conditions and diseases
- Medication and drug use
- Loss of dexterity needed to clean teeth
- Dry mouth
- Smoking or tobacco use
Symptoms of Gum Disease
- Sensitive teeth—If you notice that your teeth are sensitive to temperatures in food and beverages, you might have gum disease. Sensitive teeth during eating can be a result of periodontitis, especially as your enamel starts to weaken
- Loose teeth—As your gums react to infection, they form pockets around teeth that can quickly collect food particles and bacteria. This often occurs because your body’s own immune system tries to attack the bacteria that form around the soft tissue and jawbone
- Chronic bad breath—When bad breath is persistent, even right after you brush your teeth, you may be suffering from a sign of gum disease
- Swollen, tender, or bleeding gums—Gum disease is often characterized by inflammation of the gums, which makes them appear red and swollen. While the swelling may not be painful, it is a clear sign that you should call your dentist in Norfolk, MA
- Disappearing gums—If your gums appear to have receded, you are noticing a strong indication of periodontitis. When the tissue around the tooth pulls back, it starts to expose the tooth and its root
Advanced periodontal disease can infect the bone that supports teeth. As bone deteriorates, teeth become mobile and can fall out.
Periodontal disease is about more than just your teeth and gums, however. It can significantly impact your overall health. Research has linked gum disease to every system in the body, including the heart, kidneys, and brain. In pregnant women, periodontal disease can lead to premature births and small birth weight babies.
Laser Treatment for Gum Disease
We customize all treatments at Norfolk County Dental Care.
At each checkup, we perform a full periodontal evaluation for our patients by measuring the pocket depths between teeth and gums. Healthy gums are tight against the teeth. Numbers like one, two, or three indicate healthy gums with minimal pocketing – anything four or above indicates periodontal disease.
Gum disease treatment typically requires a series of dental cleanings designed to remove tartar and bacteria from the gumline and teeth. Our hygienists are gentle yet thorough and also have a wealth of valuable information about products and techniques to use at home when cleaning your teeth.
In the event that periodontal surgery is necessary, we use laser gum treatments for more conservative and comfortable treatment. With laser periodontal surgery, patients can enjoy faster healing times and less discomfort. Soft-tissue lasers remove diseased tissue and promote healthy gum regeneration without the cutting and stitches involved with traditional dental surgery.
Once the tartar and bacteria are eliminated, your gums will begin to heal. Most patients will need more frequent dental visits to keep the infection under control. This might mean three to four dental appointments per year. We recommend cleanings based on each patient’s needs, and we are happy to discuss how best to protect your health at our Norfolk office.
Protect Your Gums and Preserve Your Smile with Gum Disease Treatment in Norfolk, MA
Don’t let dental anxiety keep you from getting the dentistry you need to stay healthy. We offer sedation dentistry options to help our anxious patients relax as we work to help you achieve a healthy, comfortable smile. Contact Norfolk County Dental Care at (508) 528-6510 today!