Gum disease is one of the most common health problems on Earth, and it can lead to a wide variety of oral issues such as inflammation, bleeding, bad breath, gum recession, tooth loss, and possibly dangerous secondary infections like sepsis. In severe cases, these infections can cause spaces to form between the gums and the roots of the teeth called periodontal pockets. Here’s a brief guide to how this can happen and what your dentist can do to help.
What Is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an infection of the gums that starts out almost imperceptibly small in the form of gingivitis. At this stage, the problem will show itself through symptoms like inflammation, redness, and bleeding, and it can usually be reversed by simply improving your oral hygiene habits. However, gingivitis that goes untreated will eventually progress to the much more destructive stage called periodontitis, which causes permanent damage that must be regularly managed through periodontal treatment from your dentist.
What Are Periodontal Pockets?
If gum disease reaches the severe state of periodontitis, it will begin causing problems like gum recession, jawbone erosion, and eventual tooth loss. In many cases, severe gum disease will also cause the gum tissue to gradually detach from the roots of the teeth, creating spaces called periodontal pockets. These spaces provide harmful bacteria with exactly the sort of damp, dark, warm, sheltered environment that they need to thrive and multiply rapidly, which will lead to worsening infection and damage.
How Can My Dentist Treat Periodontal Pockets?
Luckily, today’s dentists are trained and equipped to deal with oral health problems like advanced gum disease. Your dentist may use scaling and root planing to address periodontitis, which involves using special tools to clear plaque, germs, and food debris from along the roots of the gums and stimulate the bone tissue so your teeth reintegrate with your soft tissues. They may also use antibiotic treatment, which involves applying topical antibiotics to the infected tissue to kill the harmful bacteria directly.
Don’t let gum disease ruin your smile and your overall health. Consulting with your dentist can help you find the best way to address your oral infection.
About the Practice
Sound Dentistry offers the finest oral health services available in New Bedford. Led by Drs. Moftah El-Ghadi, John Govostes, and Anna Kitsos, the staff ensures that each patient enjoys pleasant and effective treatments in a warm and welcoming office environment. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as periodontal therapy. If you are concerned about gum disease, contact the office online or dial (508) 996-6777.