Gum disease, or periodontitis, can be a painful disease that infects your teeth, gum tissue, and bone. Typically, this disease is a product of poor oral hygiene. When plaque and tartar are left on your teeth, they begin to damage your gum tissue (and eventually your bone) until all of the bacteria is removed from the mouth. What is periodontal therapy? Periodontal therapy consists of a few different treatments in order to rid the mouth of bacteria and promote good oral health. If you have tender, swollen, or bleeding gums, it may be time for a visit to your dentist to determine if you need periodontal therapy.

Scaling And Root Planing

For more mild cases of periodontitis, your dentist may recommend a deep cleaning known as scaling and root planing. Throughout this non-surgical procedure, your dentist will scrape away all of the plaque and tartar on your teeth and around your gums – all the way down to your roots.

Antibiotic Therapy

In order to control the infection of your gum tissue, your dentist may recommend an antibiotic therapy that will either consist of an oral pill or a topical gel. Often times, antibiotic therapy can be used in conjunction with a deep cleaning to tackle the infection from two different areas.

Frequent Cleanings

If you have gingivitis, the early stages of periodontitis, your dentist may recommend a series of frequent cleanings to promote good oral hygiene and reduce the risk of bacteria growth. Stopping the infection early can be critical in many cases. Once the bacteria have infected too much of your overall mouth, you may need oral surgery or tooth extraction in order to stop the infection.

Restoration

If the gum disease causes you to lose some (or all) of your teeth, don’t worry just yet! You have several restoration options, it’s just a matter of finding what would work best with your lifestyle and comfort level.