Our office will be closed from December 24th until Wednesday, January 6th. Happy Holidays!
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Our office will be closed from December 24th until Wednesday, January 6th. Happy Holidays!
If you have periodontal (gum) disease, it’s important to get the care you need right away. With proper periodontal care, you can reverse or halt the progression of gum disease. Left untreated, however, gum disease can result in permanent damage to your gums and teeth. Contact us and get the care you need from Dr. Joseph Blalock at Lakeside Dental right away. We proudly serve Lenoir City, Loudon, and Tellico Village!
Periodontal disease is a preventable infection of the gums that is caused by poor oral hygiene. If you are not brushing and flossing properly, plaque and tartar will build up between your gums and your teeth. The bacteria in plaque and tartar will begin attacking your gums.
Initially, this results only in inflammation and tenderness of the gums. If the disease continues to progress, however, it will attack and destroy the support structures of your teeth permanently, which can cause tooth loss.
The initial symptoms of gum disease are quite minor. You may notice gum swelling, tenderness, inflammation, and discoloration, bleeding while brushing, or bad breath (halitosis).
As the disease gets worse, however, you will notice more painful and uncomfortable symptoms. Your gums may recede, making your teeth look longer. Your teeth may become more sensitive to heat and cold. You may notice that your teeth are shifting and fitting together differently, or there may be a foul taste in your mouth. If you notice these symptoms, you need to get help right away.
The gum disease treatment process starts with a consultation with Dr. Blalock. He will typically perform a deep cleaning (scaling & root planing) to eliminate bacteria in your mouth. Combined with antibiotics, this treatment can treat most mild-to-moderate cases of gum disease.
If this is not enough, Dr. Blalock may discuss further treatment options with you, including surgeries like gum flap surgery and gum grafting. This depends on your case, so come in for a consultation as soon as possible.
Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. It’s completely reversible, and mostly only causes symptoms like inflammation of the gums, gum tenderness, bleeding while brushing, and halitosis (bad breath).
The second stage of gum disease is called periodontitis. This stage of the disease is not reversible, and can never be completely eliminated since permanent damage will be done to your teeth and gums. However, you can still keep your mouth healthy with regular periodontal care at Lakeside Dental, and prevent further damage to your teeth and gums.
The final stage of gum disease is called advanced periodontitis. In this stage of the disease, you may lose one or more of your teeth. It may be possible to save some of your teeth, but it’s often recommended that you have your remaining teeth extracted and replaced with implants or dentures.
Nearly half of all American adults have gum disease, making it one of the most common preventable oral health issues in the US.
With proper periodontal care, you can permanently eliminate gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease.
You can halt the progression of more advanced cases of gum disease, preserving your gums and your teeth
Untreated gum disease doesn't just affect your mouth, but also can contribute to your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
