We all worry about our teeth when we go to the dentist. Do we have a cavity or a chip, or a crack? Do my teeth look white enough? Are they straight? One part of our mouths that sometimes gets overlooked is our gums. Our gums are just as much a part of our oral health and smile as our teeth or tongue, yet some people don’t pay enough attention to them. You may need periodontics if you don’t floss as often as you should or don’t go for a dental cleaning twice a year. Periodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with gums, gum damage, and gum disease.

Gum disease can happen anytime, and even those with seemingly good oral hygiene can develop gum disease. The longer gum disease goes without being treated, the worse it gets. Untreated gum disease can cause damaging and life-threatening health problems, so visit your periodontist in Niagara Falls often and ask about gum disease treatment.

How Does Periodontics Treat Gum Disease?

The treatments used to deal with gum disease will depend on how advanced the gum disease has become.

A standard cleaning and a special antibacterial oral rinse for mild gum disease are enough to solve the problem and keep gum disease at bay. At the moderate stage, a more advanced procedure known as scaling and root planing, called deep cleaning, may be necessary. Scaling and root planing clean all along the teeth base and in the gums’ deep pockets where bacteria and plaque can hide.

Once gum disease reaches the most advanced stage, it can eat away at the gum tissue and even the jaw bone. Deep cleaning and potentially a gum graft may be necessary to halt the progression of the disease. Good oral hygiene is the best way to prevent gum disease in the first place.