Gum disease is bad for your oral health as well as your body. When you have gum disease, your gums are at the very least inflamed or worse, infected. If it is not treated and remedied, over time you risk losing teeth and have problems with your heart and lung–heart disease and pulmonary disease.
To keep gum disease from impacting your health, you will want to become more proactive with your daily oral hygiene care. Preventing problems in the gum tissue can make all the difference because in the early stages it is often reversible. Gingivitis, the early stage, is treated with increased daily oral hygiene along with more frequent dental cleanings which clean the gum pockets around the teeth. Once it has progressed to a severe infection, you may need to have gum surgery to keep the bone under the teeth intact.
At Home Care: any stage of gum disease means brushing at least twice a day and flossing at least once. You may also be advised to incorporate an oral rinse with fluoride in it, to support tooth enamel. Triclosan is an antibacterial and antifungal ingredient in certain mouthwashes that can get rid of plaque on the teeth and gumline as well as treat the gum inflammation.
Medications: a topical antiseptic may be prescribed to kill the bacteria that result in the infection of the gums. Penicillin, an antibiotic agent, can kill certain microorganisms and keep them from multiplying.
Surgical Options: to remove diseased gum tissue and set the stage for the gums to heal may require oral surgery. Specifically, a gingivectomy is used to remove diseased gum tissue, and gingivoplasty reshapes the healthy gum tissue and reshapes it around the teeth to provide support.
If you need help managing your gum disease, we invite you to call Dr. Seth Rush at 816-444-8822. Our periodontist, Dr. Seth Rush and team in Kansas City, Missouri are prepared to help you restore your gum health!