How Periodontal Treatment Can Improve Your Smile

Maintaining good long-term oral health goes beyond simply brushing and flossing. It requires a person to care for their gums as well as their teeth. Periodontal treatment plays a significant role in preventing periodontal (or gum) disease, which can weaken the mouth’s supporting structures.

Today, we’re examining how periodontal treatment can lead to long-term oral health and an improved overall quality of life.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal or gum disease is an infection of the gum tissue that surrounds and supports the teeth. Gum disease results from an accumulation of plaque, a sticky bacterial film, on the surfaces of teeth and along the gumline.

Unaddressed, plaque will eventually harden into tartar, which adheres more strongly to the teeth and cannot be treated via at-home solutions. If tartar is left untreated, it will cause irritation and inflammation of the gums. If gingivitis is left untreated, it will result in periodontitis, a more severe form of gum disease in which the gums recede from the teeth, creating pockets that often become infected. Over time, these infections can eat away at gum tissue and the jawbone, resulting in tooth loss.

Periodontal Treatment and Its Benefits

Periodontal treatment focuses on preventing and correcting the effects of gum disease. In relatively mild cases, scaling and root planing, a common non-invasive procedure in which the teeth and roots are deep-cleaned to remove plaque and tartar, is usually sufficient. More severe cases can call for surgical solutions like gum flap surgery or bone grafting.

The benefits of periodontal treatment are significant. First and foremost is preventing damage to the gums and their supporting structures. Also, periodontal treatment promotes healthier gums that can more firmly anchor the teeth in the jawbone. Healthy gums also positively affect overall health, with studies having connected poor periodontal health to conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

Addressing gum disease promptly and effectively promotes both oral and overall health. To ensure that you’re taking every precaution to prevent gum disease or address it at its earliest stages, make sure to schedule regular dental checkups with your dentist.

Periodontal Treatment and General Dentistry in Fairfax, VA

If you’re in the Fairfax, VA area and are either having periodontal issues that require professional care or simply looking to prevent issues from arising at all, contact dentist Dr. Cerina W. Fairfax and the team at Fairfax & Associates Family Dentistry to schedule a consultation!