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Periodontal Therapy in Waterbury

At Waterbury Smiles, we know that taking excellent care of your gums is imperative! Gum disease can detrimentally affect your oral health—and affect your overall health, too. Yes, the same oral bacterium that causes gum disease and tooth decay can enter your bloodstream and contribute to heart disease and strokes. If you think you have gum disease, then periodontal therapy can fully restore your oral health.

Gum disease manifests in a myriad of ways, including:

More than 75% of American adults have some form of gum disease, a chronic infection; gingivitis is the beginning stage of gum disease and periodontitis is the more advanced stage. If periodontitis is not treated, then ultimately it can be the reason why people lose teeth. Actually, it’s the number one reason for tooth loss in the United States! So, if you need periodontal treatment, Waterbury Smiles has an experienced dental team ready to restore your gum health.

Periodontal Therapy Waterbury Trusts

In order to stop the further destruction of gums, teeth and supporting bone tissue that gum disease can cause, we must remove the bacteria. Of course, there is both good and bad bacteria in our mouths. Bad bacteria tends to accumulate in plaque, which is a natural biofilm that develops in the mouth day in and day out. With proper brushing and flossing, this plaque is cleared away daily. However, if a patient’s oral hygiene practice is less than optimal, this plaque sits on the surface of your teeth, in between your teeth and below the gum line. Consequently, the bacteria in plaque are left in place and gum disease occurs.

If caught early enough, gum disease can be reversed with regular at-home oral hygiene. However, if this is not possible, then Waterbury Smiles offers non-surgical periodontal therapy. Primarily this treatment involves scaling and root planing. When your teeth are scaled, we thoroughly remove all evidence of plaque, as well as any hardened plaque, which is known as tartar or calculus. Then, during planing the roots of your teeth are smoothed. With a smoother surface, plaque is less able to cling to the surface and cause damage.

In some cases, we may need to apply a topical antibiotic treatment to treat the infection. With periodontitis, gum pockets may develop as tissue pulls away from teeth. A strong antibiotic with long-lasting effects is applied to the pockets in order to eliminate the infection and promote healing.

At Waterbury Smiles, we offer full charting and diagnostic services for gum disease. And with our non-surgical periodontal therapy, we can give you effective, comfortable treatments. We may also recommend other restorative dentistry options to keep your smile as healthy as possible.

Waterbury Smiles provides qualitygeneral, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry services for Connecticut families. We serve the communities of Waterbury, Watertown, Middlebury, Naguatuck, Woodbury and Southbury. We invite you to make an appointment today!

Learn More About Gum Disease Prevention

Periodontal Disease FAQs

gum disease

Despite being preventable, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates at least half of adults have a form of gum disease. Although it’s common, few people know a lot about it. If your dentist has recently recommended you undergo periodontal therapy in Waterbury, you’re sure to have plenty of questions. Don’t worry, we’ll take the time to address them during your initial consultation. While you wait for your appointment, here are the answers to a few of the most common questions we hear.

What causes gum disease?

Gum disease is an infection that develops in the gingival tissue as a result of bacteria found in plaque and tartar buildup. You can prevent gum disease by maintaining your oral hygiene habits at home and visiting your dentist regularly for a cleaning and checkup.

What are the risks of untreated gum disease?

When left untreated, the infection will spread deeper into your oral structures. Over time, it will destroy the supporting structures for your teeth, causing them to loosen and fall out. In fact, gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss.

Unfortunately, the complications of periodontal disease don’t stop at your mouth. The bacteria responsible for the infection can enter your bloodstream through the pressure of regular chewing. As it circulates throughout your body, it increases your risk of several serious health issues, including heart disease, respiratory infections, Alzheimer’s disease, and even diabetic complications.

Is the damage caused by the infection permanent?

The earliest stage of the infection is called gingivitis. At this point, the infection can be treated easily without causing any long-term complications. Unfortunately, many people don’t recognize the early signs of the infection. As a result, it progresses in severity until it destroys your oral structures.

Once the infection reaches advanced periodontitis, the damage is permanent. Although it can’t be reversed, there are several treatments to repair any issues it has caused. Even if you’ve experienced tooth loss, we can restore your smile back to a healthy, functional state using the latest advancements in dentistry, like dental implants.

Will the infection reoccur?

If you aren’t proactive about your oral hygiene, the infection can reoccur. We may recommend more frequent cleanings for a few months to ensure the infection doesn’t come back.

Can I prevent gum disease?

There are several things you can do to prevent gum disease, such as:

If you develop any signs of the infect, don’t wait until it’s too late to contact your dentist. Early intervention can save your smile from the lasting consequences of gum disease. You can invest in a healthy mouth and body with periodontal therapy.