Drs. Evelyn and Britly are happy to be able to squash the bad breath, tender gums, painful brushing, and other symptoms that can accompany early-stage gum disease. However, the dentists at Park Dental Care go beyond relieving the symptoms of gingivitis over the short-term. At our Carol Stream, IL dental office, we provide patients with a cure for gingivitis for the long-term health of their gums. When gum disease is diagnosed and treated early before hard tissue damage occurs, its effects can be reversed, and the health and beauty of your smile restored.
Professional hygiene visits prevent gingivitis from worsening
Gum disease doesn’t stand a chance of getting worse with consistent, diligent home care and routine cleanings at our office. Usually, cleanings are scheduled once every six months (with your exams). Your dentist may suggest more frequent visits if you have an increased risk of developing gum disease or to monitor how your gums are healing post-treatment. Risk factors for gum disease include:
- Family history
- Tobacco use and smoking (including e-cigarettes)
- Pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes
- Grinding or clenching your teeth
- Older age
- Use of steroids, oral contraceptives, and other medications
- Pregnancy
- Lifestyle or other factors that suppress the immune system
Professional cleanings remove the sticky plaque that irritates the gums, as well as hardened plaque or tartar that escalates tissue inflammation. Tartar can’t be removed with “home tools” (toothbrushes and floss) alone. And, even though dental instruments can be purchased online, only professional hygienists like our professional team at Park Dental Care are trained on how to properly use them. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you can damage delicate gum tissue further and accelerate the process of tooth loss!
A deep clean to halt gingivitis
Our Park Dental Care team may recommend scaling and root planing as a treatment to halt the progression of gingivitis. Think of this service as a way to deeply clean the area where your gums and teeth meet, and the roots of your teeth.
In scaling and root planing, the “scaling” part refers to removing harmful bacteria and tartar from the teeth and surfaces of the tooth roots, whereas the “planing” part refers to smoothing all of the rough areas on the surfaces of the tooth roots. The smooth texture that is achieved with root planing helps to prevent bacteria and plaque from sticking underneath the gumline again.
This two-step process promotes the healthy healing of your gums and tissue reattachment. Often, in earlier stages of gum disease, this cleaning is all that is required for red, swollen gums to bounce back to a firm and a healthy pink appearance again, or for bleeding to be eliminated and for small pockets between the teeth and gums to be closed.
A multi-faceted approach to your gum care plan
There is no single “gingivitis cure.” Park Dental Care takes a very personalized approach to provide professional gingivitis treatment. Using the information we have from your exam, as well as an in-depth discussion of lifestyle factors and home care with you, Drs. Evelyn and Britly may recommend modifications to how you clean your teeth, gums, and the inside of your mouth. They may suggest or prescribe specialized products, such as gingivitis mouthwashes. Additionally, antibiotics may be necessary to resolve gum infections.Don’t wait. Call 630-556-8880 to schedule your appointment at Carol Stream, IL today! Gum disease is notoriously “silent” or asymptomatic in its earliest stages, which makes routine visits all the more important for early detection