Understanding Periodontal Disease
Hi, my name is Dr. Sunny Patel here at Briarcliff Dental Group. I wanted to take some time today to talk about periodontal disease.
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is the breakdown of the gum, bone, and soft tissue and hard tissue around teeth in the mouth.
What are the causes of periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease is caused by multiple factors, but one of the primary factors is the inability to clean soft plaque off of teeth. It then hardens into tartar or calculus, which causes the soft tissue and bone around a tooth to break down, leading to bone loss around teeth.
What are the symptoms of periodontal disease?
Symptoms of periodontal disease typically include swollen, easily bleeding gums, and sometimes even exudate or pus coming out of crevices around the teeth. Loose teeth or significant pain on biting or chewing can also be related symptoms of periodontal disease.
Can periodontal disease be cured?
Periodontal disease, like many diseases of the body, cannot be fully cured, but it can be very well managed, similar to the management of diabetes and other conditions.
What treatment options are available for fighting periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease can be treated and managed with first-line therapy of scaling and root planing, also known as deep cleaning. The next phase of periodontal disease treatment can include surgical and non-surgical options of cleaning, debriding, and sometimes removing broken-down bone or gum tissue.
The wonderful thing about treating periodontal disease and dentistry in general is that anesthesia has become very effective. Local anesthesia can keep patients comfortable throughout the entire process. Additionally, nitrous oxide and oral anxiolysis or conscious sedation can be utilized to help patients manage and treat their periodontal disease.
How can I schedule an appointment?
If you are concerned about periodontal disease or have a family history of it and would like us to conduct an evaluation, please give us a call at (252) 651-4419, or schedule below! Our staff would love to talk with you.