Personalized periodontal care to the rescue to restore damaged gums and protect teeth
That pink tissue around your teeth serves many vital functions; the gums help to hold your teeth in place (and in proper alignment), and they protect the deeper tissues from injury. So, they play a vital role in your oral health. It is important that we keep your gums healthy with consistent, routine periodontal care at home and at Brighton Park Dental, serving southwest Chicago, Illinois, and the surrounding suburbs. When your gums need a little extra TLC, Drs. Aroon Pal, Nilay Patel, and Taylor Jemilo are here to help. We can prevent damage from getting worse and threatening the beauty and health of your smile.
Can I tell if there is something wrong with my gums?
We can learn a lot about the state of our gums just by looking in the mirror! Normal gums are typically more pink than red, though everybody’s “baseline” is different. If you think that your gums look redder than usual, that could be a sign of inflammation. Likewise, gums that appear paler than usual can be indicative of anemia. How do your gums feel? You don’t really think about gums that are in good shape because they don’t produce pain or other alarming symptoms. If your gums are tender when you touch them or if you find blood on your toothbrush or floss, do not delay in reaching out to us to schedule an appointment. These are also telltale signs of gum disease that may require prompt treatment at our office.
What if I have these symptoms?
Contact us right away to schedule an exam at our office. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, but you are overdue for an exam, reach out to us. Early-stage gum disease (gingivitis) can be problematic because it is notoriously silent. It may not cause any noticeable problems, so this early disease can go untreated and then progress to its more serious and damaging form (periodontitis).
How do you treat damage to the gums?
As noted, gum disease is like tooth decay—it’s a progressive condition. When gingivitis is detected, all it may take to restore gum health are modifications to oral hygiene or incorporating prescription or special rinses and other oral care products into your routine. We may also recommend a deep cleaning service called Scaling and Root Planing. The effects of such early gum disease/gingival inflammation can also be reversed with such interventions. If gum disease progresses to periodontitis, it leaves a lot more damage in its wake. More extensive treatment is largely needed to regenerate or build up the soft and hard tissues (gums and bone) that are lost as a result of advanced disease.
What is Scaling and Root Planing?
This professional cleaning goes beyond what is performed by our dental hygienists during your six-month checkups. This nonsurgical process involves removing plaque buildup with a special dental instrument (or scaler). We focus on the pockets or spaces that form between the teeth and gums as the disease progresses and pulls the supportive tissue away from the teeth. The “planning” part of the process involves smoothing rough root surfaces, which attract bacteria. This step helps to minimize your risk of further damage and encourages healing. Often, no further treatment is needed.
How do you keep my gums healthy?
Once active gum disease is resolved, we can get you on a periodontal maintenance program to make sure that your gums stay healthy. Generally, patients who are at risk of gum disease or who have active gum disease will need to visit us more frequently than the six-month standard for check-ups and cleanings.
You and your needs are unique. Contact Brighton Park Dental today at (773) 801-5171 to schedule your visit at our southwest Chicago, IL, office. Do not wait for your gums to look or feel different before reaching out to us if it’s been a while since your last checkup. It’s always best to prevent problems rather than to react to them!
