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Gum Disease
 Innumerable patients have sought treatment for gum disease with us here at Fairbanks Periodontal Associates. This oral condition is also known as periodontal disease and is highly prevalent. According to a 2018 World Dental Federation report, the mild form of gum disease (gingivitis) is highly widespread and affects people of all ages in all parts of the globe. The severe form of the condition is referred to as periodontitis and affects approximately 11% of the world population, according to the same report. Anytime you visit our office, we will always be on the lookout for any symptoms of gum disease. This is because the mild form the disease may not cause any signs immediately, making the condition deteriorate by the time you visit us to seek dental attention. What Are The Causes And Signs Of Gum Disease?Overall, gum disease is caused by bacterial buildup around your teeth when you neglect the daily oral health practices. These include brushing your teeth twice daily, using dental floss, and rinsing with a mouthwash. Behavioral choices such as smoking or a family history of dental diseases may predispose you to gum disease. Our periodontist may also list diseases that weaken the immune system as possible causes of gum disease. Cancer, HIV, and diabetes are among these. The primary symptom of gum disease is the inflammation of the tissues around your teeth. Mild and severe forms of gum disease will manifest through different signs. Our team will treat you for gingivitis if your gums are swollen, manifest red spots, or are bleeding. We will, instead, diagnose you with periodontitis if your gum is receding or you have dental bone loss. Extremely loose teeth or teeth that are falling out will also suggest to us that your gum disease is at an advanced stage. Bad breath is a common symptom of both gingivitis and periodontitis. Our Treatment OptionsIf you have gingivitis, our team will propose non-surgical treatments to heal the bacterial infection. Professional cleaning of teeth is the most common treatment option. This entails cleaning the area above and below the gumline to remove tartar. We may also propose scaling and root planing. In scaling, our specialist will perform a deep cleaning procedure on your teeth to scrape off tartar and plaque. In planing, we will smoothen the rough spots on your teeth to avoid the attachment of plague and provide a smooth surface for gum reattachment. In the case of periodontitis, we will propose surgical solutions. If your gum has receded, our dentist will carry out flap surgery. This entails professional cleaning to rid your tooth of tartar before lifting the gum and replacing it in its usual position. We may also perform gum grafting if your gingivitis recession is advanced. In this case, our specialist will harvest skin from your palate and graft it on the affected areas of the gum. If periodontitis has eaten into the tooth bone, we will propose bone surgery to reshape your bone and reduce the craters. This will make bacterial buildup more difficult. We may propose other surgical options depending on your unique case. Visit our team at Fairbanks Periodontal Associates for your case of gum disease by calling us at (907) 455-7100. |
Fairbanks Periodontal Associates
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