Often the first signs of periodontal disease begin with gingivitis, or in other words, the gums appear reddened at the edges, can be slightly swollen and can bleed when you brush or floss your teeth. Many folks think that brushing too hard causes bleeding gums but if you experience bleeding from the gums, you should consider it a potential warning sign. Bad breath, halitosis, or bad taste in the mouth can also be signs of periodontal disease. As the disease progresses, your gum tissues can begin to recede, exposing root surfaces, which can cause tooth sensitivity to extreme temperatures and even pressure changes. If this happens, gum tissues may start to lose their normally tight attachment to the tooth that results in the formation of a pocket along the base of the tooth. Your dental expert can often detect these pockets during periodontal probing. As this pocket formation gets progressively worse, supporting bone loss can occur around your teeth.
A later sign of periodontal disease that has not been addressed by an expert can be the formation of abscesses or pus pockets causing pain, swelling and even discharge from the gum tissues. This can ultimately lead to looseness and drifting of teeth as more bone is lost. At this stage, eating can be difficult or even uncomfortable. What are Your Options? Treatments for Periodontal Disease If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, you should be referred to an expert who can effectively treat you based on the stage of the disease. A periodontist, a dentist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases, can prescribe a treatment that best suits your condition. At The Wagner Centre, Dr. Rebecca Wagner and her team offer treatments to help those suffering from periodontal disease including scaling and root planning, pocket reduction treatment (osseous surgery), as well as helping regenerate bone and tissue lost to periodontitis using Emdogain™. Emdogain contains a group of proteins similar to the proteins that helped your teeth form as a child. Your body recognizes these proteins and begins to form the tissue fibers that anchor your teeth. Emdogain not only helps to promote the reformation of tooth attachment fibers upon application, but it also continues the development of new attachment over time. Periodontal disease is not something you want to let go untreated. If you are not sure if you have this problem, pay us a visit. Just make an appointment and let us help you ensure a lifetime of good oral health.
