What Are Early Warning Signs of Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is a gum infection caused by poor oral hygiene. When plaque builds up on the teeth, it can result in periodontal disease. When left untreated, it can lead to deterioration of the jawbone and tooth loss. There are many warning signs associated with periodontal disease. At Premier Periodontics, our periodontist can evaluate your gums to determine if you require periodontal disease treatment. Contact one of our convenient locations in Bellevue, Everett, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Olympia, or Redmond, WA to schedule an appointment to learn more about what we can do to help you to restore your oral health when you suspect you have signs of periodontal disease.

Symptoms of gum disease

Gum disease is a silent disease, meaning symptoms don’t always appear until it becomes more advanced. Some early warning signs of periodontal disease include:

• Receding gums

• Pain in the mouth

• Bleeding while brushing or flossing

• Tender, swollen, or red gums

• Separating teeth

• Loose teeth

• Bad breath

• Bite changes

When you suspect that you may have periodontal disease, our periodontal specialists can evaluate your oral health to provide periodontal disease treatment.

Periodontal disease stages

There are four stages of periodontal disease, including:

1. Gingivitis: This first stage of periodontal disease is the only stage where periodontal disease can be reversed. This is because it hasn’t started to attack the bone yet. Bleeding gums is an early warning sign. An efficient at-home oral hygiene routine, and regular dental exams and routine dental cleanings help to treat it best at Premier Periodontics.

2. Slight Periodontal Disease: The second stage of periodontal disease is not reversible, but it is manageable with the help of our periodontal team. At this stage, the infection has spread to the bone. Scaling and root planing are used to deep clean the gums to remove deep deposits of bacteria.

3. Moderate Periodontal Disease: The third stage of periodontal disease is more advanced since the infection is now deeper into the gums. Our periodontal team can use different periodontal disease treatments in order to thoroughly clean the gums and to clear this infection.

4. Advanced Periodontal Disease: The final stage of periodontal disease may require periodontal gum surgery. If left untreated, it can lead to spaces or gaps in the teeth, gum recession, and severe tooth loss.

Treating periodontal disease quickly is vital to your oral health and to maintain your smile.

How to treat gum disease

When our periodontal team at Premier Periodontics examines your gums, they can determine which treatment will work best for you. This will depend on the severity and stage of the disease. Treating gum disease early helps minimize damage and decrease any need for surgery in the future.

Some common periodontal disease treatments that we can offer our patients include:

• Deep dental cleaning: During this dental cleaning, all plaque or tartar is removed from above and below the gumline. For those with periodontal disease, we may recommend more frequent dental cleanings to make sure that it doesn’t advance any further.

• Scaling and Root Planing: Scaling and root planing is a nonsurgical deep cleaning procedure that we do while the patient is under local anesthesia. Tartar and plaque are thoroughly scraped away. Planing is used on rough spots on the tooth root to smooth them. This helps remove bacteria and provides a clean surface for the gums to successfully reattach to the teeth.

• Flap Surgery/Pocket Reduction Surgery: For more advanced stages of periodontal disease, surgery by one of our periodontists may be needed. During this surgery, the gums are lifted back so that all tartar can be removed. The gums are then placed for a snug fit, which reduces the space between the gum and the tooth itself.

• Bone Grafts: Oftentimes, when bone loss has occurred, bone grafts are needed. We can use parts of your own bone or synthetic bone to replace any bone that has been destroyed by periodontal disease.

Learn more on how to treat periodontal disease in Bellevue, WA

If left untreated, periodontal disease will continue to worsen. At Premier Periodontics, we work closely with our patients to make sure that their oral health is intact. We achieve this with regular dental exams, routine dental cleanings, and efficient oral hygiene habits at home. Call us today for more information on periodontal disease treatment and to schedule an appointment with our periodontal team at one of our convenient locations in Bellevue, Everett, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Olympia, and Redmond, WA.