If you have gum disease in Baltimore, you may be wondering if you can completely eliminate it. Is it possible to restore your oral health and completely reverse gum disease?
The answer is “yes,” but there’s a catch. Only the first stage of gum disease, known as “gingivitis” can be reversed. After it progresses into the second stage (periodontitis), it’s no longer possible to completely eliminate it. Read on, and get more details from the team at Waterfront Dental.
If you have gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, your condition can be reversed and eliminated. This is because, by definition, gingivitis does not cause any permanent damage to your teeth and gums.
It’s the first and most common stage of gum disease. And though it causes inflammation and can lead to advanced gum disease, it’s not that harmful on its own, because the roots of your teeth, your gums, and the other structures on your mouth won’t be damaged.
Common signs of gingivitis include puffy and tender gums, dark, red, or discolored gums, bleeding when brushing, and halitosis (bad breath).
If you do have gingivitis, it’s important to get care for your condition right away. If your condition continues to progress, it will not be reversible. You will need a deep cleaning (scaling & root planing) from Dr. Merguerian. Antibiotics may also be recommended.
Along with good at-home oral hygiene and lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and eating a healthier diet, this is usually enough to reverse and eliminate gingivitis entirely. Don’t wait. Get the help you need right away.
Once gum disease progresses past gingivitis, the infection is permanent. Irreversible damage will be done to your teeth and gums, and it will never be possible to completely eliminate the infection. In this stage of gum disease, your gums and teeth will be damaged to some extent.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to give up! While periodontitis cannot be completely eliminated, it’s entirely possible to control it with regular periodontal care. With treatment from Dr. Dawn Merguerian, you can halt the spread of the infection, prevent further damage to your mouth, and restore your damaged teeth and gums to keep your teeth and gums in good shape.
Periodontitis tends to have more severe symptoms than gingivitis. Along with the above symptoms of gingivitis, you may notice severe tenderness when chewing, a change in your bite, gum recession that makes your teeth look longer, and a bad taste in your mouth or pus between your teeth and gums.
Treatment usually includes deep cleanings, antibiotics, and oral surgeries to restore your gums and teeth, along with good at-home oral hygiene. You also will need periodontal maintenance cleanings every 3 months for the rest of your life.
While it’s possible to reverse gum disease, you can only do so if you catch it early before it progresses past gingivitis to periodontitis. So don’t wait. If you think you may have gingivitis in Baltimore, the team at Waterfront Dental is here to help. Contact us online or call at (410) 505-0551 to schedule an appointment right away.
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