Save Your Gum Health
Properly caring for your gums is essential to your oral health. When neglected, periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, can develop. It’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible before gum disease leads to other oral health issues, such as tooth loss. That’s why Dr. Bassford provides periodontal treatment, including scaling and root planing, to reverse its effects and get patients’ oral health back on track.
Learn more about what periodontal disease is and how our Silver Spring team can save your dental health.
What Is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease is an oral infection that attacks the gums due to poor dental hygiene. Poor oral hygiene leads to a buildup of plaque and tartar. As plaque and tartar accumulate, it harbors unwanted bacteria that start attacking the soft tissues around the gums.
There are three main stages of periodontal disease:
- Gingivitis: During the first stage, gums will appear mildly red and inflamed, and some bleeding may occur while brushing and flossing. Gingivitis can be easily treated with a scaling and root planing treatment.
- Periodontitis: When gingivitis goes untreated, periodontitis will develop. Plaque begins to harden and move closer to the tooth’s root, supporting fibers, and jawbone.
- Advanced Periodontitis: When gum disease is completely ignored, it progresses into its most severe stage. Supporting fibers and bone can be destroyed and teeth will become loose, and will most likely require extraction.
Symptoms of Periodontal Disease
It can be easy to overlook the onset of periodontal disease. That’s why it’s important to keep up with your oral hygiene routine and know the symptoms of gum disease. Noticing signs in its early stages is key to treating the disease and reversing its effects.
Common symptoms you may experience include:
- Red, tender, or swollen gums
- Receding gumline
- Teeth shifting positions
- Gaps or spaces between the teeth
- Consistent bad breath (halitosis)
- Pain when chewing
- Bleeding gums when brushing and flossing
Scaling & Root Planing — Gum Disease Treatment
Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning of the teeth used to reverse mild to moderate cases of gum disease. After Dr. Bassford performs a full mouth evaluation, she’ll determine if scaling and root planing is the best treatment option for your oral health needs.
Scaling
Scaling is used to remove built-up tartar from above and below the gumline. We’ll use a special cleaning tool to ensure we clean close to the tooth root for high precision and efficiency. Our advanced techniques will help make sure your chance of reinfection is low after the scaling process.
Root Planing
Root planing is designed to take place after scaling, smoothing out any rough spots on the teeth, and removing plaque and tartar from the root surface. This smoothing technique will help your gums reattach to your teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions
After we perform a deep cleaning, any discomfort or swelling you’ve been experiencing should subside within a few weeks. The amount of time it takes for your symptoms to dissipate depends on how extensive your gum disease was. In addition to following any recommendations given to you by Dr. Bassford, you’ll want to rinse your mouth with warm salt water to keep it bacteria-free and help promote gum healing.
The best way to prevent gum disease is by practicing a regular at-home oral hygiene routine as well as visiting our Silver Spring dental practice for routine cleanings and checkups. We recommend visiting Dr. Bassford at least once every six months. This allows our dental team to get rid of any built-up plaque and tartar from spots that you can’t reach at home.
To schedule an appointment, call ASE Dental at (301) 593-5500.
For most cases, scaling and root planing only take one appointment at our Silver Spring dental office. The whole treatment typically takes one to two hours, eliminating your oral infection with minimal inconvenience to you. If you have a severe case of gum disease, the treatment may take longer or be spread out over multiple appointments.
Properly Caring for Smiles at ASE Dental
At ASE Dental, Dr. Bassford helps ensure that all patients maintain and achieve pristine gum health. If you’re suffering from gum disease, we have the treatment you need to reverse its effects and save your oral health. To learn more about periodontal treatment, call our Silver Spring office at (301) 593-5500. You can also request more information by filling out our online contact form.