Gum Disease Treatment—Schoharie, NY
Protecting Your Smile’s Foundation
While we’ll certainly give your teeth plenty of attention at Schoharie Dental, we’ll also spend time and energy on a part of your mouth you likely don’t give much thought—your gums. They, along with your jawbone, provide a lot of support and stability. But, they can fall victim to infection. Our goal is to help you avoid this, but should you ever require gum disease treatment in Schoharie, we can provide the comfortable and effective care you need. If you’re currently dealing with sensitive, bleeding gums or loose teeth, reach out to us today.
Why Choose Schoharie Dental for Gum Disease Treatment?
- Gentle Dental Team That Prioritizes Patient Comfort
- Gum Exams at Every Routine Dental Checkup
- We Welcome & Maximize Dental Insurance
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that weakens the soft tissue around your teeth as well as the underlying bone. It occurs in two stages. Gingivitis is a term most people have heard of and typically involves puffy, red gums that tend to bleed easily during cleaning. This can eventually lead to periodontitis, where the infection starts to break down the nearby bone and cause gum recession.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
The telltale signs of gum disease include:
- Sensitive, red, and swollen gums
- Frequent bleeding during brushing and flossing
- Persistent bad breath that never goes away
- Gums pulling away from the teeth (recession)
- Pain when chewing or biting down
- Shift in how the bite comes together
- New spaces developing between teeth
- Pus between the teeth and gums
- Loose or shifting teeth
How Do We Treat Gum Disease?
As with all dental issues, we prioritize prevention above everything else. That means examining your gums when you come in for a checkup and removing all plaque and buildup from the pockets (small spaces between your gums and roots of your teeth). Should we discover an active infection, however, we may recommend a more robust treatment.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a deep dental cleaning procedure that focuses on the gums and roots of the teeth. During scaling, your dentist clears away plaque and calculus (tartar) from both above and below the gumline. Root planing then smooths rough spots on tooth roots where bacteria tend to gather. The procedure may require local anesthesia and is typically done in quadrants of the mouth over multiple visits to guarantee the best results and patient comfort.