Periodontal (Gum ) Disease

Periodontal (Gum) Disease Treatment in West Caldwell

Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It's typically caused by poor brushing and flossing habits that allow plaque—a sticky film of bacteria—to build up on the teeth and harden. It starts with swollen, red, and bleeding gums. If left untreated, it can spread to the bones surrounding the gums, making it painful to chew. In the worst cases, teeth may become loose or need to be removed.

These are the 4 stages of gum disease that might help you spot it before it gets worse:

Stage 1: Gingivitis

The first stage of gum disease is Gingivitis or gums inflammation, without loss of bone. While in the absence of good oral hygiene, nearly all people will develop gingivitis, while only 10 to 15 percent of them will develop more advanced stages of the disease.

Stage 2: Mild Periodontitis

With this stage, gingivitis advances into the deeper periodontal structures — the tissues that connect the teeth to the bone resulting in early or initial bone loss. About 10 percent of the population develops full-blown periodontitis that results in drastic bone loss.

Stage 3: Moderate Periodontitis

The third stage of gum disease results in significant bone loss (20 to 50 per cent) of the teeth's root surfaces due to continued tissue and bone destruction. Periodontal disease is "cyclical"—it goes through cycles with activity bursts, followed by a period in which the body is attempting to recover. This is known as frustrated healing or chronic inflammation.

Stage 4: Advanced Periodontitis

There is significant bone loss (50 to 85 per cent) from the root of the tooth in the final stage of gum disease. This stage involves teeth looseness, shifting teeth, red, swollen and painful gums, often forming an abscess. The result — eating and even smiling is hard and painful, and you may lose most of your teeth.

Treatment of Gum Disease

It is important for you to know that all of this is preventable with regular oral hygiene and routine oral cleaning at our office. Most patients who develop gum disease have never been to the dentist for a routine checkup and cleaning.

However, if gum disease does happen to occur to you, do not panic. It is perfectly treatable. In early stages of gum disease, your treatment may require a "deep" cleaning called Scaling and Root Planing in which the plaque and calculus on you teeth above and below the gum line is gently removed by our hygienist. This can be accomplished with or without local anesthesia. In more advanced cases, Dr. DalBon will use a gentle laser gum treatment to perform a non-surgical treatment where plaque and calculus is removed and the deeper periodontal pockets are reduced. 

Thus, if you suspect gum disease, call NJLCD at 973-244-2424 for an evaluation.