Gum Disease Treatment – Belmont, MA
Have Concerns About Gum Health? Let Us Help
Your gums are essential for providing support for your teeth. If they become infected, it can lead to serious problems for your smile as well as your overall health. Have you noticed any warning signs that make you think that you might be suffering from gum disease? If so, give our office a call today to schedule an appointment with your reliable dentist in Belmont. Dr. Salibian will determine the best way to get your gum health back on track.
Why Choose EyeSmile Dentistry and Optometry of Belmont for Gum Disease Treatment?
- State-of-the-Art Laser Treatments
- Thorough Scaling and Root Planing
- Antibiotic Treatment Available
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is a serious oral health problem that affects around 64.7 million adults in the United States. It is an infection of the soft tissues in your mouth around the roots of your teeth. Many people aren’t as concerned about gum disease as they should be since its symptoms tend to be relatively mild at first. However, should it go unaddressed for too long, it can significantly damage the gums and jawbone, causing the teeth to come loose.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
Many people find out that they have gum disease when visiting their dentist for a checkup, but there are certain warning signs that you can keep an eye out for. Some of the most notable symptoms of gum disease include:
- Swollen and/or unusually red gums.
- Teeth that appear longer due to the gums pulling away.
- Gums that bleed easily (which you are likely to notice when brushing or flossing).
- Loose permanent teeth.
- Bad breath that won’t go away.
- Discomfort while chewing.
- Pus that appears between the teeth and gums.
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
Step one is to confirm that you have gum disease and check to see how severe it is. Then we will go over your treatment options with you before giving you our recommendation. If you would like more information about the different ways that our team can help improve and protect the health of your gums, keep reading.
Scaling & Root Planing
To reduce the presence of the harmful oral bacteria that is causing your gum disease, we will get rid of plaque and tartar that has built up around and below your gums through a process called scaling. Once scaling is complete, we will move on to root planing. This is where we smooth out the roots of your teeth to create a surface that bacteria will have a harder time building up on.
Antibiotic Treatment
We might not get all of the bacteria out of your mouth with scaling and root planing alone, which is why antibiotics may also be used as part of your gum disease treatment. The antibiotics that we prescribe come in the form of pills; be sure to follow any instructions that we give you for taking the medication.
Laser Periodontal Treatment
Our practice offers what is known as the LANAP protocol (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure), which is a minimally invasive way to treat gum disease with the help of a state-of-the-art CO2 laser. With this treatment, we can gently remove damaged parts of the gum tissue while the healthy tissue remains intact. Note that procedures involving dental lasers tend to have shorter healing times, and they typically result in less bleeding.