Protecting your teeth starts with understanding what could go wrong if you don’t. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is an aggressive condition that damages the gums and can, over time, lead to tooth loss. There are various periodontal disease stages you can go through as the condition progresses. At most of the initial steps, periodontal disease treatment can stop the progression and potentially save your teeth. At Lovett Dental Corpus Christi, our goal is to keep your teeth and gums healthy for life.
What Are the Stages of Periodontal Disease?
There are several stages of periodontal disease. How long it takes to progress from one stage to the next depends on many factors, including your oral hygiene habits. About half of all Americans over the age of 30 have some level of periodontal disease right now. Here’s a look at the four stages of this disease.
- Gingivitis: In this initial stage, the condition is reversible. The gums may be pink and bleeding, especially when brushed. However, the tooth and bone of the mouth have not been damaged. Most often, this occurs because of a buildup of plaque in the mouth. You may not notice this is occurring until you see blood in the sink. Oral hygiene improvement may improve this condition.
- Slight Onset: In the next stage of periodontal disease, there is no way to reverse the damage done. However, it is still possible to manage it. In this situation, the infection has moved into the bone and is working to destroy it. The bacteria are more aggressive and can continue to spread if not treated quickly. You may have increased redness in the gums, bad breath, and increase spaces between your gums and tooth.
- Moderate Periodontal Disease: At this step, the condition has moved beyond this. The gaps are larger between your teeth. In addition to this, more bacteria are accessing the area. The bacteria, at this point, can also enter your bloodstream and may impact your immune system. At this stage, scaling and root planing tend to be necessary to clean away damaged tissue.
- Advanced Periodontal Disease: At this stage, the damage is often significant and cannot be reversed. You are likely to have so much bacteria that it is working to damage the roots of your teeth. They may even become loose and, over time, can fall out. There are treatment options that can help, including periodontal surgery that can remove some of the pockets of bacteria in your tooth and gum line.
Periodontal Disease Treatment
When it comes to periodontal disease treatment, you need to turn to our team as soon as possible. We will work closely with you to determine what steps are best for the level of damage you have. Our goal is always to restore your smile, but we may need to perform a deep cleaning to achieve this. Many times, aggressive care can save your teeth.
To get periodontal disease treatment, you need to schedule an appointment with our team. Let us start with care and work to provide you with the best level of support for your smile. With the most innovative solutions available to help you, you can trust our team to help you at any periodontal disease stage. Our dental services include:
- General dentistry
- Teeth cleaning procedures
- Fluoride treatments and care
- Pediatric dentistry services
- Fillings and sealants
Call Lovett Dental Corpus Christi for Periodontal Disease Treatment
When you are experiencing any of the periodontal disease stages, or you’re unsure about what’s to come, reach out to our team. We offer comprehensive periodontal disease treatment. Protect your teeth by calling Lovett Dental Corpus Christi at 361-986-1117 today.
