Gum Disease – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
You have a great smile: beautiful white teeth all perfectly aligned. But unbeknownst to you, periodontal gum disease might even now be damaging your gum tissues, setting the stage for future tooth and bone loss — and a ruined smile.
What Is Gum Disease?
The gums are soft pink tissues that cover the dense jawbone that keeps your teeth anchored in place. Plaque and tartar can form around the base of the gumline and cause an infection—the result is gum disease. There are three main stages of this oral condition: mild, moderate, and advanced gum disease (the latter is usually referred to as periodontitis).
Stages of Gum Disease
While it’s easy to miss the early stage of this gum disease caused by bacterial plaque on tooth surfaces, there are a few signs if you pay close attention. Bleeding gums after moderate brushing or flossing could indicate normally resilient gum tissues have begun to weaken. You may also notice a slight redness and swelling around the margins of the gums and a bad taste or breath. As it progresses, you may experience painful abscesses (infected pockets that develop between the gums and tooth) and loose teeth, a late sign of tissue detachment and bone loss. If you are a smoker, nicotine reduces swelling and bleeding of the gums, removing signs you have a disease. If you smoke, you need to see your dentist regularly.
Read more below.
Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
The Power Of A Great Smile
Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
A great smile has magical powers. Studies show that the majority of people today believe that having an attractive smile can have a positive impact on getting the job of your dreams, succeeding at work, finding the perfect mate, and even making new friends.
Never EVER underestimate the power of your smile!
Your smile is your calling card. Whether you’re having social interactions with your family and friends, attending a family wedding, or simply going about your daily activities and interactions, – your smile has an immediate impact on the way people perceive you. And if you’re embarrassed about your teeth – because of missing teeth, aged smiles, worn down teeth, chips, crookedness, colour and among other aesthetic imperfections– people aren’t perceiving the most confident and attractive version of you. Get expert cosmetic dental enhancement and makeover at Vogue Smiles Melbourne. We are here to help.
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Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
The Dangers of Gum Disease
Gum disease is just as much of a concern for dentists as tooth decay. It’s important that you understand the dangers of gum disease so that you can take swift action to heal your gums and save your smile.
Like dental disease, gum disease can cause tooth loss when it isn’t treated quickly and thoroughly. The bad bacterium multiplies and eliminates good tissue. Gum disease can also cause the bone to deteriorate completely, and the infection can spread to other areas of the mouth if it isn’t stopped in a timely fashion. In some cases, untreated gum disease can also aggravate unrelated general health conditions, like cardiovascular issues. If you do not have the symptoms treated by a dentist and take on better hygiene habits, gum disease could have a significant effect on your oral and overall health.
Smoking and Gum Disease
Your risk for gum disease increases if you’re not brushing or flossing effectively. You can also have a higher risk if you’ve inherited thinner gum tissues from your parents. But there’s one other risk factor for gum disease that’s just as significant: if you have a smoking habit.
According to research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), a little more than sixty percent of smokers develop gum disease in their lifetime at double the risk of non-smokers. And it’s not just cigarettes—any form of tobacco use (including smokeless) or even e-cigarettes increases the risk for gum disease.
Smoking alters the oral environment to make it friendlier for disease-causing bacteria. Some chemicals released in tobacco can damage gum tissues, which can cause them to gradually detach from the teeth. This can lead to tooth loss, which smokers are three times more likely to experience than non-smokers.
Smoking may also hide the early signs of gum disease like red, swollen or bleeding gums. But because the nicotine in tobacco restricts the blood supply to gum tissue, the gums of a smoker with gum disease may look healthy. But it’s a camouflage, which could delay prompt treatment that could prevent further damage.
Finally because tobacco can inhibit the body’s production of antibodies to fight infection, smoking may slow the healing process after gum disease treatment. This also means tobacco users have a higher risk of a repeat infection, something known as refractory periodontitis. This can create a cycle of treatment and re-infection that can significantly increase dental care costs.
It doesn’t have to be this way. You can substantially lower your risk of gum disease and its complications by quitting any kind of tobacco habit. As it leaves your system, your body will respond much quicker to heal itself. And quitting will definitely increase your chances of preventing gum disease in the first place.
Quitting, though, can be difficult, so it’s best not to go it alone. Talk with your doctor about ways to kick the habit; you may also benefit from the encouragement of family and friends, as well as support groups of others trying to quit too.
Gum Disease Treatments
While renewed daily oral hygiene is important for stopping gum disease, you may also need professional care to bring it under control. The main treatment calls for the manual removal of plaque and calculus (hardened deposits of plaque) that are sustaining the infection. Dentists and hygienists both can perform scaling, which removes plaque and calculus at or just below the gum line, and root planing to clean accessible root surfaces.
In more advanced cases, though, you may need the services of a periodontist, a specialist in treating diseased or injured gums, bone and other connective tissues that support the teeth. They’re also skilled in more advanced treatments like gum flap surgery that more fully exposes a tooth’s root area for plaque and calculus (or tartar) removal, or tissue grafting procedures that improve the health and appearance of damaged gums.
Your gums need immediate therapy, including an intense cleaning, when there are signs of disease. These are the most common treatments for gum disease or periodontitis that can offer:
– Scaling and root planing (a very deep cleaning around the gumline)
– Periodontal surgery (opening the soft gum tissue to completely remove diseased matter).
– Antibiotic therapy to control the infection.
– Gum grafting (to restore lost bone tissue).
– Cosmetic gum surgery (to restore gum tissue around the teeth).
Don’t Ignore Bleeding Gums
Are bleeding gums something you should be concerned about? Many think bleeding gums is a sign they are brushing too hard; this is possible, but unlikely. It’s much more probable that irritated and bleeding gums are a sign of periodontal (gum) disease.
Periodontal disease can occur when a bacteria-rich biofilm in the mouth (also called plaque) is allowed to build up on tooth and gum surfaces. Plaque causes the gums to become inflamed, as the immune system responds to the bacteria. Eventually, this can cause gum tissue to pull away from the teeth, forming bacteria-filled “pockets” under the gum surface. If left untreated, it can lead to more serious infection, and even tooth loss.
What should you do if your gums bleed regularly when brushing or flossing? The first step is to come in for a thorough examination. In combination with a regular oral exam (and possibly x-rays or other diagnostic tests), a simple (and painless) instrument called a periodontal probe can be used to determine how far any periodontal disease may have progressed. Armed with this information, we can determine the most effective way to fight the battle against gum disease.
Above all, don’t wait too long to come in for an exam! Bleeding gums are “a sign that things aren’t quite right.
4-Step Process for Achieving Your Highest Oral Health Possible
You know the basics for a healthy mouth: daily oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups. But there are other elements unique to you that also factor into your oral care: the mouth and facial structure you inherited from your parents (like a poor bite) and your past history with dental disease. Both of these help define your individual risk factors for potential dental problems.
That’s why you need a treatment strategy personalized to you to achieve the best health possible for your teeth and gums. We create this plan by using a detailed and thorough 4-step process.
Step 1: Identify your unique risk factors
To find your risk factors for dental disease, we carefully assess your history and other areas of oral function and health: the soundness of your supporting bone and gum structures; your teeth’s structural integrity and any effects from decay, enamel erosion or trauma; functional issues like a poor bite, a jaw joint disorder or a grinding habit; and problems with appearance like disproportional gums.
Step 2: Prioritize risk factors and form the treatment plan
Once we’ve identified your individual risk factors, we assess how each could impact you and whether any require immediate treatment. Any current dental disease should be treated immediately to minimize and prevent further damage. Depending on severity, other issues like bite problems or unattractive teeth may be scheduled for later treatment.
Step 3: Execute the treatment plan.
With our priorities in place, we then proceed with treating your teeth and gums, the most pressing needs first. Throughout this step, our goal is to bring your oral health to the highest level possible for you.
Step 4: Monitoring and maintaining health.
Once we’ve achieved an optimum level of health, we must remain vigilant about keeping it. So we monitor for any emerging problems and perform preventive treatments like clinical cleanings to help maintain that healthy state. This also means regularly repeating our 4-step process to identify and update any new, emerging risks and incorporate them into our treatment strategy.
While this process may seem overly methodical, it can actually result in more efficient and cost-effective treatment. It’s the best way to ensure good health for your teeth and gums throughout your lifetime.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GUM DISEASE
If you have Bleeding Gums, Swollen Gums, Painful Gums
Dental Payment Plan Options That will Fit Your Budget
Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
We don’t believe that dental care should be out of anyone’s price range. We want you to feel confident in a smile that looks attractive and functions naturally—and fits within your budget! If you don’t believe you can afford the dental treatment you need (or want), rest assured that we will try our best to help you afford the treatment you need. We have helped countless patients receive affordable dentistry, providing them with beautiful new smiles that have changed their quality of life.
Our team helps make our dental services affordable by assisting you in maximizing your insurance benefits and accepting a variety of payment methods.
Don’t let fear or embarrassment about your budget keep you from getting the dental treatments your smile deserves.
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Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
OUR GENERAL AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY SERVICES
Gum Disease Melbourne, gum disease specialist expert Melbourne CBD
At Vogue Smiles Melbourne, we provide a wide range of general dentistry and cosmetic dental treatments including composite bonding, porcelain veneers, Invisalign, teeth whitening, Smile Rejuvenation, Anti-aging Dental facelift, Full Mouth Reconstruction and Aesthetic Rehabilitation , Snap on Smile, Same Day Smiles, Transitional or Intermediate Smiles and much more.
Disclaimer:
The information on this website is for information purposes only. Is not a substitute for a proper professional care and advice. Each patient’s outcomes, risks, potential complications, and recovery differ. Any dental procedure, minor or major, carries risks, some minor and some serious. Before and after images seen on our Social Media and website pages are our actual patient and have been published/posted with our patients’ permission. All of our patients photos are subject to Copyrights protection. We are strong believers in responsible aesthetics. Every cosmetic, medical, or dental procedure comes with its own set of risks and benefits. Cosmetic Dentistry results will vary from patient to patient. Call our office and book for an actual in-office consultation for us to assess if you are a good candidate for a particular treatment. All of our Specials and packages posted on this site are subject to terms, conditions and availability. The exact fee for a particular cosmetic procedure will be determined after a preliminary assessment distinguishing your unique personal needs and the type of work needed. The prices mentioned on any of our website as well as any mentioned payment plan by a third party source, are just a guide and is subject to change. Call the third party financing providers or visit their website for more info. Please call the office on 9629-7664 for further queries or clarification.
