Periodontal Maintenance
Among the causes for periodontal (gum) disease are genetic susceptibility, smoking, and other illnesses like diabetes. Periodontal maintenance involves removing plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line. Most gum diseases are preventable with proper oral hygiene. However, what can start out as gingivitis (inflamed or bleeding gums) can quickly turn into periodontitis if left untreated. In such cases, gums pull away from the tooth to create “pockets,” thereby exposing a dental root to infection. It can also lead to prolonged bad breath, loose teeth, painful chewing and other complications.
Diagnosing Gum Disease
The first step is to find out if you suffer from any form of gum disease. At Helderberg Dental Practice, our dentists and our hygienist are trained to recognize gum disease, and patients are screened at every visit. Once a patient has been found to have gum disease, a customized treatment- and maintenance plan will be worked out.
Further Treatment
The treatment of gum disease is a logical progression of interventions, starting off with the basics (descaling and polishing of the teeth, home care instructions), followed by conservative therapy with our dentists. As gum disease is influenced by many variable factors, it is sometimes needed to address the disease with surgical intervention, although this is the exception to the rule. Once the disease has been brought under control, a maintenance schedule is worked out and patients are helped to prevent recurrence of the periodontal infection.