At Sherman Oaks Dental, we are committed to helping you achieve total mouth wellness, and one of the best ways to do that is to increase your understanding of the conditions which can affect your mouth. Gum disease is a serious problem, and if left untreated, it can permanently damage the supporting structures in your mouth. As we strive to be the best dentists in Naperville, we want to help you get the smile that you desire by preventing the destructive results of gum disease.
Causes of Gum Disease
Gum disease is caused by plaque and tartar. Plaque is the sticky white substance that builds up on your teeth when you don’t brush. Over time, if left on your teeth, plaque turns into tartar, which can’t simply be brushed off. The bacteria in plaque and tartar negatively impact your gums, and as you body tries to fight the bacteria the problem only becomes worse. You body’s immune system repeatedly tries to get rid of the bacteria, but over time, this process also wears down your gums and bone.
Slowly, your gums become infected, and the infection moves down lower into your gums to create pockets against your teeth which are full of bacteria. A toothbrush can’t reach down into these deep pockets. Once gum disease has progressed this far, there are still treatment options, but it is important to get help as soon as possible. Your gums will swell, bleed, and hurt, and if you don’t get help your teeth may become loose and fall out.
Treatment Options
To remove tartar and to treat an infection at this stage, you’ll need a dentist’s help. At Sherman Oaks Dental, we can help you recover from gum disease. Our specially trained team will work to keep you comfortable during your treatment, and our state-of-the-art technology can quickly help to turn gum disease around.
In particular, we use the Odyssey Soft Tissue Laser to treat gum disease, an option which is efficient and can speed up both appointment time and healing time. It is also less invasive, less painful, and less risky than other methods. The Odyssey Laser works by selectively removing diseased or damaged tissue while leaving healthy gum tissue behind. The laser stops any bleeding as it goes, and even destroys bacteria, so you don’t have to worry about an infection after the treatment.
If you have sore or bleeding gums, contact us today for a visit with your Naperville dentists, Dr. Weyneth and Dr. Sosenko. Together, our team can help you to fight gum infection and get you back to your regular lifestyle in no time.