Our dental office takes the pride in educating our patients about maintaining optimum health care which can be achieved by a combination of oral hygiene practice at home like brushing and flossing and by getting a professional dental cleaning.

If your gums appear red and swollen or bleed often, you may have gingivitis ( inflammation of the gums ). This condition is usually reversible and can be corrected by dental cleaning and good oral hygiene routine. The more severe form of gum inflammation is called Periodontitis ( inflammation of the gums and surrounding tissues of the teeth like bone and periodontal tissues ).The disease then progresses to the bone level and teeth start getting lose. This form of the disease is not reversible and will need surgical intervention.

If you have a bad breath, lose teeth you have a Periodontal disease ( a more severe form of gum disease) that can affect your overall health and can make you lose all your teeth. This can be very serious as it will affect your self image and social well being.

The doctor will first check your medical history and will rule out any long standing uncontrolled disease/s. Smoking is one of the most common causes of gum disease. If you have no underlying disease and have no or very minimal plaque/calculus deposits, your gum disease is most likely due to smoking. Smoking induces the inflammatory process and reduces the immunity to fight the bacteria in your mouth. Poor oral hygiene with heavy calculus deposits ( plaque/tartar) is another common cause for the gum disease. The dentist or dental hygienist will measure your gum pockets and will determine the severity of your gum disease. Scaling and Root Planing ( deep cleaning) is usually the first step to prevent the progression of the gum disease.

The dentist or dental hygienist might also recommend Arestin antibiotic along with the deep cleaning. Arestin is minocycline hydrochloride that comes in a powder form. It is placed directly into the gum pocket after the Scaling and Root planing is completed.

If you have a severe form of gums disease where you have lost considerable amount of bone, you might need a specialist help. Our office will refer you to one of our recommended Periodontist ( gum specialist ) for any required gum surgeries.

We highly recommend dental check ups and cleanings every 6 months to keep your teeth clean and gums healthy to prevent any gum disease.

Periodontal maintenance cleaning is done every 3, 4 or 6 months depending on your gum condition.