Gingivitis

If you are experiencing symptoms such as bad breath or swollen or bleeding gums, you may be suffering from gum disease. At Centre for Excellence in Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, we offer a comprehensive range of services designed to help our patients protect and maintain optimal periodontal health

Understanding gingivitis and the progression of gum disease

Dental plaque, which is a sticky film that gathers continuously in your mouth, harbors the harmful bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease. When plaque is left to accumulate between the teeth and gums, it infects and inflames the periodontal tissues supporting the teeth.

Gingivitis represents the initial stage of gum disease. Although it doesn’t cause overt discomfort, and often goes unnoticed, there are specific signs to be aware of that indicate the start of a problem. If you notice your gums bleed when you brush, look red and inflamed, or feel a little tender, you more than likely have gingivitis.

It’s essential to keep in mind that by treating gingivitis early, the tissue damage associated with more advanced stages of gum disease can be avoided. Even though inflammation and a disease process are present in gingivitis, the integrity of the periodontal tissues supporting the teeth remains intact. Typically, gingivitis can be successfully reversed with timely care and your periodontal health restored. Our office may recommend a series of deeper dental cleanings, scaling and root planing, an improved oral hygiene regimen at home, along with other non-surgical therapeutic measures to restore and maintain your periodontal health.

If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to more advanced stages of periodontal disease. When this happens, tissue damage progresses from gingival pocket formation, gum recession, and diminishing alveolar bone to the eventual loosening and loss of teeth. Today, increasing links are being established between periodontal disease and other medical conditions. By seeing our office for care and doing your best to eat a healthy diet and practice good oral hygiene, you can maintain periodontal health, an attractive smile, and protect your overall wellbeing.

Your trusted partner in care

At Centre for Excellence in Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, we provide patients with the guidance, support, and care required to maintain optimal periodontal health. For more information on our office and the many services that we provide, give us a call today.