Gum Disease Treatment – Chula Vista, CA
Give Your Teeth a Healthy Home
The gums are equally important to your overall oral health for a number of reasons. Not only do they keep teeth in place, but they also cover the more vulnerable areas, such as the roots, which don’t have the same protection as the crown. Thankfully, just because you have gum disease doesn’t mean you can’t get dedicated treatment from a caring team. In fact, Dr. Majd has multiple solutions for gum disease treatment at our Chula Vista dental office!
Why Choose Village Walk Dental for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Comfortable Treatments from a Dedicated Team
- Calming Sedation Dentistry for Nervous Patients
- Ongoing Antibiotic Therapy Available
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an oral health problem that roughly 50% of American adults struggle with. The earliest stage, gingivitis, is usually accompanied by red, swollen, and inflamed gums. However, if the infection is left alone to progress, it can lead to considerable discomfort, trouble chewing properly, and even tooth loss. That’s why it’s so important to schedule an appointment with us when you first suspect that something is wrong.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
Between your biannual dental exams, we recommend keeping an eye out for the following symptoms:
- A pimple-like bump on your gums
- Bleeding when you brush or floss
- Red, swollen, or inflamed gums
- Gum recession
- A change to your bite
- Permanent teeth that feel loose
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
At our office, we offer both scaling and root planing as well as antibiotic treatment. Rest assured, we will discuss both in-depth during your initial appointment. If you’d like, you can learn more about them, too.
Scaling & Root Planing
When brushing and flossing aren’t enough to address the problems causing your gum disease, we will perform scaling and root planing. This process, known as “deep cleaning,” works to not only remove harmful plaque and tartar, but also to promote healing of the gums and reduce the risk of them becoming infected again later. Scaling removes harmful bacteria from above and beneath the gum line, while root planing smooths the tooth roots out so they can begin to heal.
Do I Need Scaling & Root Planing?
Before recommending scaling and root planing, we’ll take a close look at your teeth and gums to understand your overall oral health. This can include a thorough examination along with X-rays to give us a clearer picture of what’s happening below the gumline. Our Chula Vista team will evaluate factors such as gum inflammation, pocket depth, and any signs that gum disease has progressed and requires treatment. Based on what we find, scaling and root planing might be recommended to remove significant buildup from around and beneath the gum line and help create a healthier environment for better recovery.
The Process of Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing focuses on cleaning areas of the mouth that can be difficult to reach with regular brushing and flossing. During treatment, Dr. Majd will carefully remove plaque and tartar from around and beneath the gums. The root planing portion smooths the surfaces of the tooth roots, making it easier for the gums to heal and harder for bacteria to collect. A local anesthetic can be used to help keep you comfortable throughout the procedure. Depending on the condition of your gums, treatment may be completed over several visits, and additional therapy might be necessary to support your results.
Aftercare Tips for Scaling & Root Planing
Some tenderness or swelling around the gums is common after scaling and root planing. Your gums will need to adjust and heal after treatment, so these symptoms might last for a couple of weeks before gradually improving. Several ways to support a smooth recovery include:
- Floss gently each day to keep your teeth and gums clean
- Choose softer foods for the first few days after treatment
- Rinse with warm salt water after eating
- Avoid spicy, acidic, or very hot foods and drinks
- Continue brushing twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste
- Hold off on strenuous exercise until your gums have had time to heal
Antibiotic Treatment
You’ll need to complete follow-up appointments to fully complete your gum disease treatment, but in between these visits, we want to ensure your gums can heal as quickly as possible. With Arestin antibiotic therapy, we can promote additional healing of the gum tissue and reduce the risk of it becoming reinfected. Once the antibiotic is placed into the gum pockets in between your teeth (which form due to advanced gum disease), it can release into the gums directly.