Healthy gums are pink in colour, hold the teeth firmly, and don’t cause pain in the mouth.
Gum diseases are inflammatory conditions that affect the gums and other supporting structures in the mouth.
Gum disease has three (3) successive stages:
The earliest form of periodontal diseases comes with a few painless signs.
Bad breath, redness and swelling of the gums, and bleeding when brushing and flossing are some of the signs to be watched out for.
This is the only reversible stage of periodontal disease, as it has not yet attacked the bones.
Practice a good oral hygiene routine and visit your dentist regularly to be able to reverse gingivitis.
Mild periodontitis is the second stage of periodontal disease. Although irreversible, it is still manageable.
Once the periodontal disease reaches this stage, the infection will begin spreading and attacking the bone.
The bacteria become more aggressive, resulting in bone loss.
Signs of mild periodontitis include redness, swelling and bleeding of the gums, worse bad breath, and probing depths (a measurement taken during some check-ups) that are between four to seven millimetres.
At this stage, the infection attacks not only your bones but your bloodstream and immune system as well.
Scaling and root planing can deep clean and remove the deposits of bacteria from your gums.
If ignored, this stage can escalate quickly, resulting in severe bone and tooth loss, increased bleeding, gum sensitivity, and shifting of the teeth.
The last stage of periodontal disease comes with red and swollen pus-filled pockets on the gums, sensitivity to cold foods and beverages (and even weather!), further tooth loss, and severe bad breath.
Advanced periodontitis requires periodontal surgery to clean and remove the bacteria from the gums.
This stage leads to spacing and gaps between the teeth, the need to wear dentures and/or other restorations, and gum recession.
Periodontics provides solutions to various stages of periodontal disease. The treatments will depend on the stage and severity of the problem.
Every visit to the dentist for a check-up includes a complete mouth cleaning. But if you have periodontal disease, your dentist will proceed with a more advanced cleaning phase called scaling.
Scaling is a non-surgical procedure wherein your dental hygienist uses a tool to scrape the plaque, tartar, and food deposits from your teeth and gums. This tool is called a scaler.
Root planing is the process of smoothing the exposed surfaces of the roots and removing calcified substance above and below the gum line.
Quickly treating periodontal diseases is of utmost importance. But! Nothing beats acting on them before they happen.
Removing plaque can be very challenging, especially when it’s already stuck on the roots of your teeth and gums.
Preston Supreme Dental delivers high-quality preventive procedures that will help stop bacteria build-up in your mouth. Professional cleaning by your Preston dentist is one way of doing so.
Visit your Preston dentist today!
Preston dentist serves local communities in Coburg, Northcote, Thornbury, Bundoora, and Reservoir.
GAP FREE – General Check-up, Scale and Clean, X-rays, and Fluoride treatment (with any health insurance)
No Insurance: $100 General Check Up, Scale and Clean (Was $260)
To find out more about dental sealants in Preston or to book an appointment, call us on (03) 9478 7708 or visit us at 243 Murray Road in Preston.
All insurances are accepted with HICAPS. As a preferred provider for NIB, CBHS, HCF and Smile
We are located across Woolworths Supermarket and beside Preston Market
Easily accessible via public transportation (bus stop within walking distance)
