If you are facing some imminent dental issues or have come from a recent dentist visit with renewed interest in issues like gingivitis treatment, you may want to know about how medical workers look at treating each stage of this degenerative condition. Gingivitis affects the gums and is often just referred to as “gum disease,” although other types of gum disease do exist.
Gingivitis is usually caused by the buildup of plaque at the gum line. Plaque is a soft, chalky substance that, if not brushed and flossed away, can turn into tartar, a harder substance. Plaque and tartar allow harmful bacteria to build up at the gum line and inflamed gums, ultimately causing infection and requiring costly treatment and painful symptoms. Conditions related to gingivitis can loosen the teeth and cause bone loss, threatening an individual’s overall dental health.
Beginning Stages
In the beginning stages of gingivitis, hygienists and dentists often recommend routine cleaning visits mixed with a strict regimen of good home care. Brushing and flossing can help keep incipient gingivitis under control. Sometimes, someone who’s dealing with mild gingivitis can use a mouthwash to improve the prevention of bacterial buildup in the mouth.
Advanced Stages
As a gingivitis condition progresses, usually when a patient refuses dental treatment or just doesn’t get his regular checkups, the condition may worsen to the point that dental workers will refer to it as periodontitis. At these stages, the gums are usually visibly affected and may be drawing back from the original gum line.
Treatments for advanced gingivitis include root scaling, where dentists will reach below the gum line and scoop out material that is laden with bacteria. Gum surgery is also an option, where dentists will loosen the gums for the purpose of extracting harmful buildup and then sew them back in place.
Alternative Treatments
Where some patients have seen the traditional gum surgery process as too invasive, a new laser therapy called LANAP offers an alternative for dealing with bacteria below the gum line. Doctors can use these lasers to target the elements that are causing advanced gum disease. Lots of information is available online about the success rates for this kind of treatment. The general technology behind LANAP is something that doctors are using to help deal with a range of conditions including changes in the skin, where laser technology can be a way to work on subdermal tissues without cutting or surgery.
All of the above are ways that dental workers might deal with a case of gingivitis. Essentially, each individual is possible for promoting good dental hygiene to prevent the progression of this kind of illness. As new science emerges on gingivitis, researchers are concluding that there is a distinct link between dental health and heart health. This leads to new attention around preventing different dental conditions like gingivitis. Continue to read up on the newest and best practices for dealing with this kind of threat to your dental health.
