Gum Disease Treatment – Federal Way, WA

Prevent the Complications of Gum Disease

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 50% of adults in the United States have a form of the infection. While it is common, it is easy to prevent with proper oral hygiene, like brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing every night, and visiting your dentist twice a year. Unfortunately, most adults do not brush as thoroughly as they should or floss each night before going to bed. This causes bacteria to accumulate in plaque and tartar buildups.

This will cause the gum tissue to become infected, often causing bleeding, swollen, and red gums. When treated during this stage, the damage is reversible. However, many fail to ignore the early warning signs, allowing it to progress in severity.

After it has reached advanced stages, it can cause tooth loss and irreversible damage. Not to mention, the bacteria can enter your bloodstream, increasing your risk for heart disease, respiratory infections, and several other health complications.

Treat Gum Disease

At the first sign of the infection, it is important to schedule a visit with Dr. Beaty to prevent the issue from worsening. In addition to improving your home oral hygiene habits, he may suggest the use of antibiotics to treat it. He will also recommend a scaling and root planing treatment, also known as a deep cleaning.

Special dental tools are used to clean below the gum line to remove harmful plaque, tartar, and bacteria that have become trapped in the pockets that have formed in the tissue. Then, the surfaces of the roots and teeth are smoothed to help prevent future buildup.

Often, the procedure, additional cleanings, and changes to your home oral hygiene habits are enough to restore your gum health. However, if you wait too long to seek treatment, you may require surgical treatments, like gum grafting or pocket reduction surgery.

Restore Your Gum Health Today!

If you notice that your gums have become tender or bleed, do not ignore the early warning signs of the infection. Contact Dr. Beaty today to schedule a consultation. After conducting a thorough examination, he will create a customized treatment plan to stop the infection from causing irreversible damage.

Restore your gum health today! Schedule your consultation for periodontal therapy in Federal Way.

Periodontal Disease FAQs

Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, affects millions of Americans every year. Despite how common it is, many people have some questions about the condition and how it affects you. Don’t worry; we’ve answered some of the questions we get asked the most often in this periodontal disease FAQ section. If you have a query about gum disease that you don’t see answered on this page, feel free to contact us and ask.

How Do I Know If I Have Gum Disease?

There are two main stages of gum disease: gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis, the early stage, will make your gums appear red and puffy as well as sore or tender to the touch. Your gums may also bleed a little bit when you brush and floss or eat crunchy foods.

If you don’t seek treatment in a timely manner, gingivitis can progress to periodontitis. During this stage, bacteria will create pockets in between your teeth and your gums. You may notice some pus leaking out from these pockets. Other symptoms might include loose or shifting teeth, persistent bad breath, a foul taste in the mouth, and frequent oral sores. Eventually, you may lose your teeth altogether.

Gum disease is much easier to treat early on. That’s why, if you notice any symptoms, it’s best to report them to us right away so we can save your teeth.

Can Gum Disease Cause a Heart Attack?

Many studies have shown that patients with chronic gum disease are more likely to have cardiovascular problems than those without the infection. While it’s not entirely clear whether one issue directly causes the other (they share many of the same risk factors), many scientists believe that the bacteria in your mouth can set off a chain reaction of inflammation throughout your body that spreads to your heart, narrowing important arteries and increasing your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Similarly, gum infections have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, pneumonia, and diabetes.

What Causes Gum Disease?

The most common reason why people develop gum disease is poor oral hygiene. When you neglect to brush and floss, plaque, which is chock full of bacteria, builds up along your gumline. Your gums naturally then become inflamed, which is one of your body’s responses to infection.

Poor oral hygiene isn’t the only cause of gum disease. Some research has suggested that smokers are more than twice as likely to develop the condition. Additionally, diabetes and even your own genes can put you more at risk.

Does Gum Disease Treatment Hurt?

While a procedure called scaling and root planing might sound painful, you should experience little to no discomfort during treatment. This is because we’ll use plenty of local anesthetic and possibly even sedation to ensure you feel relaxed and comfortable during your procedure. Your gums may be sore for a few days, but that can be easily managed by taking an over-the-counter pain medication.