Periodontal Treatment Diseases in Milpitas, CA

Gum diseases are a common dental issue that can seriously affect your oral health and cause discomfort and pain. If left untreated for longer periods, gum disease progresses and becomes more difficult to treat. In advanced stages, gum disease can lead to severe dental issues such as gum tissue decay, tooth loss, and jawbone deterioration.

Although it is considered incurable, periodontitis can be treated and kept under control. Dr. Lum has helped numerous patients with gum diseases get relief from their effects and prevent further infection.

What Is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis is an advanced stage of gum disease. Its initial stage is known as gingivitis and is characterized by symptoms such as mild gum inflammation, redness, swelling, bleeding of gums, halitosis, and pain when biting and chewing food. If gingivitis is not treated at this early stage, it turns into periodontitis.

What Causes Periodontitis?

Plaque and tartar are the two main issues that cause periodontitis. They accumulate on the teeth close to the gum line and contain harmful bacteria. These bacteria feed off the food debris in the mouth and release harmful acids that erode the enamel and cause cavities and gum tissue decay. The gums get severely infected and diseases such as periodontitis develop. 

What Are the Symptoms of Periodontitis?

• Severe gum tissue decay
• Gum recession below the optimum gum line
• Frequent gum bleeding near the infected region
• Tender and soft gums that loosen around the teeth
• Deep gum pockets that accumulate microbes and debris from the mouth
• Jawbone deterioration that affects the health and strength of the jawbone
• Loosening of the teeth as the jawbone deteriorates 
• Severe bad breath (halitosis)
• Teeth discoloration near the gum line

Periodontal Treatment

Treating gum disease at an early stage is important for halting its progress and preventing the spread of infection to the nearby teeth and gums, as well as the deterioration of the jawbone. A common dental procedure called scaling and root planing is especially helpful in treating gum disease. It removes the tartar deposits from the surfaces of the teeth and their roots and removes the infection-causing microbes. In addition, the dentist may use a powerful drug called Arestin to treat gum disease.

After gum disease treatment, you should take your medication as prescribed by the dentist and brush and floss your teeth twice daily to ensure you effectively remove the microbes from the mouth. Routine visits to the dentist should also be scheduled so that we can perform dental cleanings and check for any unexpected issues or infections.