Maintain optimal gum health for healthy teeth and whole-body wellness.

At Smile Design Dentistry locations throughout Florida, our dentists and registered dental hygienists genuinely care about their patients, as they gently but thoroughly maintain periodontal health through accurate diagnosis, prophylactic cleanings, and expert treatment of any gum inflammation that occurs.

In the case of mild to moderate periodontal disease, we will focus on eliminating the bacterial infection with more frequent dental cleanings in our office and instruction on the most appropriate oral home care. Your local Smile Design dentist and registered dental hygienist will recommend the frequency at which you should have professional teeth cleaning performed.

Sometimes a deep cleaning is needed to remove bacterial plaque and hardened calculus below the gum line and to smooth the dental enamel encasing dental roots. This treatment is called “scaling and root planing.” If you have developed periodontitis (advanced gum inflammation) and need this treatment below the gum line, we will schedule the treatment as quickly as possible. Your gum tissue will be fully numbed during the procedure to maximize your comfort. Your Smile Design dentist may additionally recommend and treat gum pockets with antimicrobial medication to support healing.

Gum disease should not be neglected.

Gum disease is a progressive condition that begins with mild gum inflammation and can progress, if left untreated, into significant infection of the gum and bone tissues that support teeth, leading to painful tooth decay, tooth loosening, and tooth loss. But even more is at stake. The presence of gum disease means that bad oral bacteria are now circulating through your blood stream to all organs of your body, and as a result, your body is fighting systemic inflammation that factors into the onset or worsening of many, many diseases.

Both acute gum infection and lower grade chronic gum inflammation destroy gum tissue, tooth ligaments, and bone tissue. Teeth may become loose, and bacteria in gum pockets will erode protective dental enamel. The resulting dental decay perforates the enamel and allows bacteria to reach nerve tissue. A severe tooth ache will then prompt you to seek urgent care in the form of a root canal and crown (if the tooth is not too damaged) or extraction. If a tooth is extracted or falls out due to periodontitis, gum treatment is still needed to reduce bacteria, get infection under control, and save other teeth. Prior to restoring damaged teeth or replacing lost teeth, gum infection will have to be treated.

Every time you come for a dental cleaning and oral exam (at least every six months), we will be thoroughly examining you for signs of gum disease. If you are overdue for a cleaning and/or exam, we are here to serve you and make sure your oral health is maintained. By doing so, you can minimize gum disease, dental decay, and restorative dental treatment throughout your lifetime.

Are you overdue for a dental checkup and cleaning? Have you observed gum tissue swelling, bleeding or redness?

Today is the day to schedule a visit with a local Smile Design Dentistry dentist. Contact us today!