Gum Disease Treatment – Cary, NC
Overcoming Swollen or Bleeding Gums
Do your gums seem to bleed easily, or have you noticed that they look more swollen than normal? These are potential warning signs of gum disease, an all-too-common oral health threat that affects around half of all adults in the United States. Dr. Darren G. Koch can help you rehabilitate your gums with carefully chosen forms of gum disease treatment in Cary. If you think there’s a problem with your gums, call us right away.
Why Choose Darren G. Koch, DDS, PA for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Arestin Antibiotic Therapy Available
- Dentist That Respects Your Time
- Precise, Personalized Dentistry
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is a preventable infection that develops in the gum tissue caused by bacteria found in plaque and tartar accumulations. When diagnosed at the earliest stage (known as gingivitis), it can quickly be treated without causing any long-term damage to your oral health.
Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize the warning signs of the infection. As a result, gum disease may continue to progress and destroy the supporting structures of the teeth. Over time, this can lead to bone loss that causes loosening of teeth and eventual tooth loss or need for tooth removal.
The bacteria that cause gum disease can also enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body, thus having damaging effects on systemic health. Scientific studies suggest a connection with diabetes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis with experts concluding that inflammation is the common link between these diseases.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
Identifying warning signs such as red, swollen, or bleeding gums is the key to early detection of gum disease. Bad breath can also occur due to the high bacteria levels in the mouth. If the infection progresses, you may notice gum recession, tooth sensitivity, or loose teeth. We encourage you to schedule an appointment with us as soon as you recognize any symptoms that you think could be related to gum disease.
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
Before anything else, we’ll need to examine your mouth in order to confirm that you have gum disease. It will also be necessary to determine how severe the infection currently is. Then we will explain what treatments are recommended in your case. The two major solutions that we offer for gum disease are deep cleaning (also known as scaling and root planing) and antibiotic treatment.
Scaling & Root Planing
One of the leading causes of gum disease is the buildup of tartar in your mouth. To get rid of this tartar, we can perform scaling and root planing. The scaling step is when we remove the tartar that has built up below your gums. Root planing involves smoothing out the roots of the teeth, which makes it easier for the gums to reattach themselves. Additionally, smoother tooth roots will make it more difficult for harmful bacteria to accumulate in the future.
Antibiotic Treatment
Antibiotics are often used in conjunction with scaling and root planing. We use a specific type of antibiotic known as Arestin, which is placed in the pockets of your gums so that it can fight the infection at its source. With Arestin, we can stop your symptoms from growing worse and encourage the reduction of your gum pockets.
