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Gum Disease Therapy (Periodontal Care)

At Aria Dental, we’re just as concerned with the gums of Greater Annapolis as we are your teeth themselves. And if “gum disease therapy” doesn’t sound dentist-y enough for you, just call this section “periodontal” care. It’s got a nice, official sound (even though it’s just a combination of Greek words that translate to “around the tooth”).

Gum disease is fairly easy to prevent with regular at-home oral hygiene, but it can be easy for anyone to fall behind in thorough brushing and flossing. Sometimes, after a long day, the time it takes to really do a good job on your teeth can seem very long. When that happens enough times, food residue can easily become plaque bacteria that builds up, resulting in gingivitis—basic inflammation of the gums. It’s easily treatable and should be taken care of as soon as you notice inflammation or bleeding.

If plaque is allowed to go unchecked, however, it can eventually turn into a harder substance called tartar, which is harder to remove. In more severe cases, tartar will reach below the gum line, where it can only be removed by a procedure called scaling and root planning.

Very advanced cases of gum disease can lead to receding gums and even bone loss in the jaw. Those issues can only be resolved through grafting gum tissue and bone material onto the affected area.

If you need treatment for gum disease in Annapolis, our staff is ready and waiting to give you the treatment you deserve.

Sometimes, Your teeth fight against you.

For people with crooked teeth, brushing and flossing can sometimes do only so much, since the teeth create hard-to-access natural hiding places for plaque and tartar to build up. If you’re not in a position to have your teeth straightened, making sure you have a professional cleaning twice a year is especially important.
Other Causes of gum issues

Smoking: Actually, tobacco use in general greatly increases your risk for gum disease by weakening your gums and making them more vulnerable to infection

Experiencing hormonal shifts: During pregnancy, or even a normal menstrual cycle, the gums can become sensitive and more susceptible to infection.

Wearing dentures: Just because your full or partial dentures sit in gum-colored mold, they still come into contact with the gum tissue they sit over. Without careful cleaning, dentures can hold onto food particles and develop plaque that leads to inflammation.

Aging: As we age, physical limitations can prevent us from doing a good job of brushing and flossing. Check in on older family members and see if they may need to switch to an electric toothbrush and, perhaps, a water flosser. Neither of those require a great deal of mobility

Genetics: If you have a family history of gum disease, it’s quite possible that there could be genetics involved that make you naturally more susceptible to infection of the gums.