What Is Periodontal Disease? What Can I Do About It?

If you have chronically bad breath, gums that bleed when you brush your teeth, or pain in your teeth and gums, you may suffer from periodontal disease. This condition can have long-term consequences for oral health, so it’s important to see your dentist in Medina, OH, for regular treatment.

Periodontal disease that goes untreated can lead to gum recession and even loss of your permanent teeth. To avoid this problem, seeing the dentist on their recommended schedule is important. Here’s what you need to know.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is a gum infection that causes damage to the soft tissues around the teeth. Over time, this can lead to gum recession, which in turn damages the jaw bone that helps keep the teeth in place. Ultimately, this can cause loss of your permanent teeth.

What Are the Symptoms of Periodontal Disease?

Symptoms of periodontal disease include:

• Red, swollen gums that bleed when brushing teeth
• Bad breath that isn’t fixed by brushing your teeth
• Pain when chewing
• Loss of permanent teeth
• Loose permanent teeth
• Gum recession
• Gums feel tender upon contact

What Can I Do to Treat My Periodontal Disease?

Once you have a diagnosis, your dentist may recommend several treatments for periodontal disease. Scaling and root planing can help remove tartar below the gum line and, in turn, prevent future tartar from building up on the gum line.

There are also several surgical procedures, like bone grafts and guided tissue regeneration, that may be used to help restore your bone to support your teeth better. Your dentist may start with less invasive procedures to try to control the infection before moving on to surgical procedures.

How Can Periodontal Disease Be Prevented?

The best thing you can do is prevent periodontal disease from ever occurring. Visiting the dentist on a regular basis for dental cleanings in Medina OH is best.

At Evanko Dental Group of Medina, we’re here to help. Call today to learn more about how we can help keep your teeth clean and your gum tissue healthy.