Gums: The Foundation of Your Smile

If you’ve been coming to our practice for a while now, you’ve probably heard us talk about the health of your gums, not just your smile. Many people don’t realize that gum health is critical to your oral health, which is why at Canatella Dental we’re creating awareness for gum disease.

According to the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), nearly 50 percent of American adults have mild, moderate or severe periodontitis. This is the most advanced form of periodontal disease you can have and is detrimental to your oral health. While tooth health matters, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, therefore the gums must be accounted for if you want to keep your smile.

Fortunately, our team has the expertise to perform a wide variety of periodontal treatments, regardless of your gum issues. Instead of becoming another statistic, come in to get your gums treated and keep them healthy for years to come.

Why Treatment is So Important

Just like any medical issue, it never helps to put off treatment. If your tooth was in pain due to a cavity, you wouldn’t want to put it off and let it get worse. In that instance, the treatment for that cavity will go from needing a filling to needing a crown.

The same applies for gum disease. In the early stages, gum disease is accompanied by some minor bleeding, swelling and tenderness in the gums. This will make basic tasks like chewing and brushing more difficult, but the symptoms will only get worse. Without treatment, the gums will begin to recede from the teeth, breaking down the bone and connective tissue that’s holding them in your mouth.

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Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease

People are often surprised when they hear how many people have periodontitis. According to the same AAP report, one out of every two American adults aged 30 and older has some form of gum disease, regardless of the severity. This is either because they aren’t aware of the symptoms or they haven’t appeared as clearly as they would with the more advanced stages.

With routine visits, we can catch the early signs of gum disease and get you back on track. However, it’s important to keep these signs and symptoms in mind. They include:

Gums that are red, tender, bleeding or swollen
Painful chewing
Loose or sensitive teeth
Bad breath that doesn’t go away
Receding gums or teeth that appear longer than normal

The Four-Tiered System of Treatment

Maintaining healthy gums is relatively simple. By brushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, flossing daily, eating a balanced diet to keep saliva production high and avoiding tobacco products, nearly all gum disease can be avoided. Of course, those who do have gum disease can benefit from Canatella Dental’s four-tiered system of periodontal treatments. Outside of your front-line, at-home maintenance, patients can benefit from the following:

Biannual Cleanings – Performed during every routine cleaning and solves mild levels of gum disease.
Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) – The gold standard of gum disease treatment and ideal for cleaning above and below the gum line. Intended for moderate levels of gum disease.
Antibiotic Therapy – Usually used in tandem with SRP as needed.
Chao Pinhole Technique – A unique procedure that allows us to treat gum recession and replace gum tissue lost from disease without surgical intervention.

If you’ve heard our hygienists Alison or Amanda mention the symptoms of gum disease during your cleaning, such as a deep pocket depth, remember that there’s no better time than now to seek treatment. National Gum Care Month reminds us to make our gum health just as high a priority as our smile. Schedule an appointment for yourself or a family member today to protect your gums for life!

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