Curing Gum Disease

Ritter and Ramsey General and Cosmetic Dentistry service Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, and all of Palm Beach County, Florida.

You can’t fix a problem is you don’t know you have a problem. Let’s see if you have a problem before we seek out a cure. Gum disease is very simple. In fact, many of your fellow Americans have a mild form of gum disease called gingivitis. Your gums, or gingiva, are the soft tissue in your mouth stretched around your teeth to protect them, their roots, and the bone structure underneath. The gums work as a seal. What works against that seal is plaque or tartar. These two bad guys are the result of bacteria that you have not removed. The plaque sticks to your teeth with the bacteria and will soon build up, create tartar, and start to infect your gums. Your mouth is full of bacteria due to the saliva that is necessary for you to deal with food and only you can control how much stays around.

Now let’s identify the problem. We’re looking for a change in the color of your gums. Usually they are a nice pink but you have noticed they have become a deeper shade of pink or even red. You have noticed that your breath is bad and your family and friends have complained. You can’t seem to get rid of it. When you’re finished brushing there is a pink color on your brush. This actually might be blood from you gums becoming swollen. If the gum disease is progressing you might now see your gums sagging away from your teeth creating pockets. These pockets only allow that space to hide more bacteria through pieces of food.

All of this can be both prevented and cured. If the gum disease is indeed evident please see your dentist soon. The dentist or hygienist will do a thorough cleaning of your teeth. That professional cleaning will remove all of that sticky plaque and tartar from your teeth. This is the problem that needs to be removed. They may have to go a little deeper with their cleaning, down the sides of teeth under the gums depending on the severity of the gingivitis. It all can be cured. If your gum disease has progressed to the next level, which is called periodontitis, you still need to begin at the core problem and that is removing the plaque carrying bacteria.

Once the plaque and tartar are addressed it becomes an oral hygiene lesson at home. You must brush your teeth twice a day and floss your teeth once a day. By doing this you will prevent the plaque from returning and the gums will, in time, heal themselves without the addition of the bacteria and the infection. There may be suggestions made on your brushing techniques that will help you combat and cure your gum disease. There may be the suggestion of an antiseptic mouthwash to kill the bacteria. With the help and guidance of a dentist and your willingness to correct your oral hygiene, the gum disease can be both cured and prevented.

In you're interested in learning more about gum disease, or are concerned you may have symptoms it's not to late to get treatment. Contact Ritter and Ramsey General and Cosmetic Dentistry located in Jupiter, Fl for your consultation today. We're happy to help you start your journey towards optimal oral health.

If you're just interested in reading more about gum disease, and learning more, here's some reading on typical symptoms of gum disease.