How is Gingivitis Treated?

Your dentist in Medina, OH can help with all aspects of your dental health, including things like gingivitis. This condition responds well to early intervention treatments, which is why it’s highly recommended to visit your dentist at least once every six months. Left untreated, gingivitis can develop into more serious oral health conditions, and even lead to the loss of permanent teeth.

Professional Dental Cleaning

Treatment for gingivitis begins with a professional dental cleaning. This consists of a thorough cleaning by a dental hygienist, who will conduct scaling and root planing as needed. This treatment removes the plaque and tartar buildup that harbors bacteria and harms teeth and gums. After the treatment, your teeth will feel smooth and clean. Note that your gums may feel loose immediately afterward, but they will soon heal and tighten around each tooth.

Oral Hygiene at Home

A big component of oral hygiene is what you do at home. You should strive to brush, floss and rinse your teeth after each meal. This helps to get rid of the food debris that bad bacteria thrive on. It will also help to keep gingivitis from returning.

Lifestyle Changes

• Taking tiny steps to change your lifestyle can also work to keep gingivitis from returning. Recommendations include:
• avoiding excess alcohol, which contains copious amounts of sugar
• quitting smoking, which lowers your body’s ability to fight gum disease
• eating a varied diet to help ensure adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals
• avoiding junk food, which contains processed ingredients that may be harmful to your overall health
• learning stress reduction strategies, since stress weakens the immune system and makes you more apt to get gum disease

Finally, it’s essential to visit your dentist on a regular basis for those dental cleanings. More than any other tip mentioned above, this is the one that will help to ward off gingivitis and help you to keep your natural, adult teeth for as long as possible!

Contact Evanko today to book your appointment for gingivitis treatment and periodontal maintenance in Medina, OH. We look forward to helping you maintain your beautiful smile!