Your gums are an essential component of your oral health. If they get infected, it can result in a wide range of serious health consequences. That’s why Dr. McCraw offers multiple solutions to treat gum disease and protect the health of your smile.
Explore our guide to learn more about gum disease and how you can prevent it.
What Is Gum Disease?
Periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, is an oral infection that spreads through your gum tissue. It’s caused by a build-up of plaque, a type of harmful bacteria that sticks to your teeth and hardens. The most common cause of gum disease is poor oral hygiene, especially not brushing and flossing often enough.
Stages of Gum Disease
There are two stages of gum disease:
- Gingivitis – This is the early stage of gum disease when your tissue appears red and inflamed, but you typically don’t feel any pain or other symptoms.
- Periodontitis – Without treatment, your infection can progress into periodontitis. During this stage, bacteria start to destroy the bones and tissues that support your teeth, causing severe pain, tooth loss, and other issues.
Risk Factors For Gum Disease
The following factors are known to increase your risk for gum disease:
- Diabetes
- Smoking or chewing tobacco
- Certain health conditions, such as cancer and AIDS
- Medications that reduce saliva flow
- Stress
- Aging
- Genetics
Treatment Options
Scaling & Root Planing
If your infection isn’t too severe, Dr. McCraw can usually eliminate the bacteria with scaling and root planing. Also known as deep cleaning, this procedure involves using special dental tools to remove plaque from above and below your gumline.
It’s a fast and non-invasive treatment that only requires one appointment. By addressing the infection early, you can prevent major health consequences and avoid further procedures down the line.
Laser Therapy
For patients whose infection has reached the periodontitis stage, surgery may be required. Traditionally, this involves cutting into your gum tissue with a scalpel, often damaging some of your healthy tissue in the process and necessitating a long recovery period.
Thankfully, Dr. McCraw offers a far more convenient, less-invasive option at our practice. Using an advanced dental laser, he can target bacteria with unmatched precision and remove the infection, leaving your healthy tissue fully intact. As a result, no scalpel or stitches are needed and you can recover rapidly with little to no discomfort.
Visit McCraw Family Dentistry For Periodontal Care
Gum disease is a serious condition that can severely impact your health in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, it’s also a common issue that affects nearly half of American adults who are 30 or older.
If you’re experiencing any symptoms of gum disease, don’t hesitate to call our practice in Mauldin at (864) 297-6432. The sooner you get treatment, the more likely you’ll avoid any serious health consequences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes gum disease?
What are the stages of gum disease?
How is gum disease related to heart disease?
What causes gum disease?
Gum disease results from a build-up of bacteria in your gums, typically from not brushing and flossing enough or skipping your bi-annual dental check-ups. This bacteria can stick to your teeth and harden into a substance called plaque, putting you at high risk for an oral infection.
Once you have gum disease, your risk will also increase for many other health problems including tooth loss, heart disease, and strokes.
What are the stages of gum disease?
The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. During this stage, your gums will start to look red and inflamed but you likely won’t experience any other symptoms. As long as it’s caught early, gingivitis can usually be reversed without much difficulty.
However, if you don’t get treatment, the infection can progress to the next stage of periodontitis. Periodontitis poses a far greater threat to your health, as bacteria will begin to destroy the bones and tissues supporting your teeth during this stage.
Periodontitis is much more difficult to eliminate than gingivitis, but Dr. McCraw can restore your gums without any stitches or bleeding, thanks to our advanced dental laser.
How is gum disease related to heart disease?
According to medical research, people who have gum disease are two to three times more likely to suffer from a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular events. The exact link isn’t definitively known yet, but many medical professionals believe it’s linked to plaque traveling through your bloodstream into your arteries.
The connection may also have to do with the fact that gum disease causes inflammation, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular issues over time. While the research is far from finished, it’s clear that gum disease is harmful to your health and has some correlation with heart disease.