If you have gingivitis that goes untreated for a long period of time, your oral health can worsen dramatically. When this happens, teeth can become loose in the mouth as irritants like plaque enter the space between the tooth and the gums. Without proper care from a Lutke Dental professional, more damage can be caused and the bone supporting the teeth could suffer.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the early stage of periodontal disease when there has been no damage done to the teeth or the bone surrounding it. Your dentist can treat this with thorough dental cleanings – but you must be sure to follow instructions to improve your oral hygiene and prevent the problem from returning in the future.
Periodontal Disease
When gingivitis is not treated, it can quickly progress into what is known as periodontal disease. Periodontal disease can cause serious damage to the mouth and teeth, even resulting in teeth falling out or needing to be extracted. Your dentist will need to clean the teeth more thoroughly with a deep cleaning known as scaling and root planing.
Your dentist will numb a section of the mouth and remove plaque, tartar, and other bacteria from below the line of the gums – this is called scaling. Your dental professional will also smoothen the surface of your tooth roots to make it more difficult to plaque and other material to stick onto teeth and build up – planing. With this procedure, your gum tissues can heal, and the pockets that have formed due to periodontal disease will shrink.
You will need to carefully follow your treatment plan and use special medicated mouthwashes and other products for teeth to prevent the disease from coming back. If the symptoms still persist after scaling and root planing, surgery may be needed to make teeth healthier and easier to keep clean.
If you notice signs of gingivitis in your mouth, such as swollen gums or bad breath, speak with a dentist near you at Lutke Dental about your oral health for a dental exam and cleaning to determine the root cause of your signs and symptoms.
Other Services
