5 Ways to Prevent Periodontal Disease
When bacteria and plaque build up between your teeth and gums, your immune system reacts, causing inflammation, which is the onset of periodontal disease. This gum disease can eventually attack the bone structure of your mouth, which can lead to gum recession and even tooth loss.
Dr. Howard Jeon, Dr. Michael Monto, and our team have the expertise to treat your periodontal disease at Advanced Implant Dentistry & MedSpa of North Shore in Glenview, Illinois. We also provide advice and guidance on how you can prevent it.
How to prevent periodontal disease
Our team suggests five ways to help you avoid periodontal disease. They include:
1. Brush your teeth
One of the most basic things you can do to keep your teeth and gums healthy is to brush your teeth after meals. This action removes debris from between your teeth where bacteria and plaque can grow and develop. Be sure to brush your tongue, as well.
2. Floss your teeth
We recommend flossing at least once a day to ensure the removal of any caught debris that could collect between your teeth. Flossing releases food particles and plaque and reaches along your gum line, which your toothbrush can’t always reach.
3. Use mouthwash
An antiseptic mouthwash can reduce plaque and remove remaining debris between your teeth. Simply swish it around in your mouth at least once a day to protect your teeth and gums.
4. Understand what puts you at risk
Did you know that lifestyle habits can make you vulnerable to gum disease? If you smoke and have a poor diet, your risks increase. Age and genetics can also play a role.
5. Keep your routine visits with our team
Annual, comprehensive exams at our practice allow us to monitor the health of your teeth and gums closely. We can detect any factors related to periodontal disease. If we notice any concerning problems, we can start treatment early.
When you practice these recommendations, you can maintain healthy teeth and gums for a lifetime.
How to treat periodontal disease
Gum disease can be treated with several methods, including:
Scaling and cleaning
This process involves cleaning your teeth below the gum line. We use advanced technology to break up the plaque and tartar. We also perform root planing to smooth rough areas on the roots of your teeth.
Taking certain medications
We can prescribe several medications that can aid in the treatment of your gum disease, including:
- Antimicrobial mouth rinse: controls bacteria
- Antibiotic gel: shrinks periodontal pockets
- Antiseptic chip: reduces periodontal pocket size
- Antibiotic microspheres: controls bacteria and periodontal pocket size
- Enzyme suppressant: keeps destructive enzymes in check
- Oral antibiotics: prevents infection
Surgery
Flap surgery removes tartar from deep pockets or reduces the pocket size to make cleaning easier. We pull back your gums, remove the tartar, then suture your gums back together.
Bone and tissue grafts
We perform this procedure to help regenerate bone and gum tissue that has disintegrated. We place natural or synthetic bone where bone was before. This procedure promotes new bone growth.
When you come in for your consultation, our team can determine the severity of your gum disease. In some cases, your condition can be reversed by consistently practicing our advice on how to prevent it.
To schedule an appointment with our team, call our friendly office at 847-998-8100, or book your visit using the online scheduling tool today. You can also send us a message if you have any questions before you come in.