Although most dental patients in the Hickory Hills area are concerned about tooth decay, another common problem that the Family Dentist in Oak Lawn sees is gum disease. If gum disease is not treated, it will eventually lead to the loss of gum tissue. When this happens, the teeth on the gum tissue will be lost as well. That is why it is very important for dental patients to make sure that any gum disease is diagnosed and treated promptly.
In general, patients should visit the Family Dentist in Oak Lawn at least once every six months. During each visit, the patient should get a professional dental cleaning from a hygienist as well as an exam from the dentist. The professional dental cleaning will be helpful in preventing gum disease and tooth decay. The dental exam will be helpful in determining if the patient has gum disease. When Petreikis L D DDS sees a patient with swollen gum tissue or evidence of bleeding, there is a good chance that the patient has gum disease. The dentist will use a measuring probe to determine the depth of the pockets between the gum tissue and the teeth. If the depth is more than three millimeters, that is an indication of gum disease.
Fortunately, there are many treatment options available to the dentist when a patient is diagnosed with gum disease. Antibiotics may be prescribed by the dentist to reduce the amount of bacteria forming in the mouth and the gum tissue. Another treatment option is to get a deep cleaning, which allows the hygienist to clean below the gum line. Because the deep cleaning is a lot more involved than a regular cleaning, this procedure is usually performed in one quadrant of the mouth per visit. Since the hygienist will be cleaning below the gum line, it will be necessary for the patient to get an anesthetic injection. If the gum disease is severe, another option for the patient is to get gum surgery which is designed to close the pockets between the gum tissue and the teeth.
Patients should be worried about gum disease. They should do everything possible to prevent it. However, those who are diagnosed should not delay treatment. There are many treatment options available than can halt and even reverse this condition.
