Reverse Gum Disease With Early Intervention in Jasper, AL [Video Explanation]

Did you know that the earliest stage of gum disease is almost undetectable? Many patients go months without realizing their infection, allowing it to spread and advance unknowingly. Unfortunately, the longer gum disease has to develop, the worse its effects become. In the early stages, professional intervention and proper maintenance can reverse gum disease. But once the infection advances, it causes permanent damage that can never be undone! The best way to keep your smile clean and healthy is to seek early intervention. Schedule an appointment today at our office to learn if you can reverse the effects of gum disease.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is an inflammatory infection that starts at the gums. As bacteria gather around your gum line, they will irritate the soft tissues there and cause issues like inflammation and bleeding gums. Then, if the bacteria spread below your gums, the infection can worsen and start affecting your jawbone.

In general, gum disease has 4 stages.

1. Gingivitis
2. Mild periodontitis
3. Moderate periodontitis
4. Severe periodontitis

Gingivitis is the earliest stage and is typically completely reversible because the infection hasn’t affected your bone yet. In contrast, periodontitis is non-reversible, as it causes permanent damage to both your gum and bone tissues. In the worst cases, severe periodontitis can even cause tooth loss!

To effectively reverse gum disease, it’s important to catch the infection as early as possible.

How To Reverse Gum Disease

If you’re noticing signs of infection, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible. At Bivona Family Dental, we also offer emergency services for patients who need immediate care and pain relief. When you contact us, we’ll listen to your dental problems and help you schedule an appointment. For patients with early signs of infection, the sooner we treat you, the better!

At our office, we typically reverse gum disease with professional cleanings. Using specialized dental tools, we remove signs of bacteria, plaque, and tartar from your teeth. And because we’re able to reach areas you can’t with floss or a toothbrush, we can ensure your whole smile is clean.

Then, to keep your smile healthy, we encourage patients to return every 6 months for routine cleanings. If you’re prone to issues like gum disease, we may ask you to come in every 3 months for extra protection.

Keep Your Smile Healthy and Happy

It’s important to note that professional cleanings aren’t enough to totally reverse gum disease. The most important aspect of gum disease care actually starts at home!

Your at-home routine is incredibly important to your oral health. Without daily maintenance,  gingivitis will continue to spread, potentially advancing into periodontitis. For the best possible results, we encourage patients to take brushing their teeth seriously. To help reverse gum disease and keep the infection away, we recommend:

• Brushing twice a day with an electric toothbrush. While regular toothbrushes do work, electric toothbrushes are incredibly effective at cleaning your teeth. The bristles on these toothbrushes quickly rotate or vibrate, reducing the need that some patients feel to brush aggressively. Instead, you let the toothbrush do most of the work for you as you gently move it across your smile.
• Floss regularly with a water flosser. To clean between your teeth, flossing is very important. But regular floss is difficult for some patients to use. A water flosser helps effectively clean your teeth without all the hassle! This machine shoots a gentle stream of water at your smile, cleaning between your teeth and removing debris you can’t see.
• Using a tongue scraper. A tongue scraper is an optional addition to your routine that helps keep your smile cleaner and your breath fresher. To clean your tongue, gently scrape the tool along your tongue to remove bacteria and food particles that collect there throughout the day. This extra step isn’t a replacement for brushing your teeth or flossing, but it helps significantly when paired with both.

Reverse Gum Disease With Early Intervention in Jasper, AL!

Gingivitis is difficult to detect, but early intervention is the key to reversing gum disease. To keep your smile clean, we encourage you to come in for routine visits. There, we will assess your smile and can accurately point out and clean early signs of infection. However, you’ll need to maintain your oral health at home to prevent the infection from returning. Be sure to brush your teeth and floss regularly to reverse the signs of gum disease and keep your smile healthy.

If you’re noticing signs of infection or gum disease, book an appointment with us in Jasper, AL, as soon as possible.

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