Periodontal Therapy

Did you know periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults? It is, and around 10% of adults aged 20 to 64 have periodontal disease.

So what is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is a form of gum disease that starts off as gingivitis. Gingivitis is a term that is more familiar to most people, but the biggest difference between gingivitis and periodontal disease is the extent of the disease in the tissues and structures supporting teeth. With gingivitis, only the gums at the gumline are inflamed from a buildup of plaque and calculus (tartar). If not treated, that plaque will harden to form more calculus, creating the perfect haven for inflammation-causing bacteria to thrive and multiply.

At this stage, the gums pull away from the neck or base of the teeth in an attempt to be free of the inflammatory bacteria. But unfortunately, this action causes pockets to form in the gums which create a bigger, better space for bacteria to call home. When this happens, the mouth is suffering from periodontitis or periodontal disease.

Without treatment, the bacteria will continue to invade the spaces around the teeth until they eat away at soft tissue and bone. The result is tooth loss.

Halt periodontitis in its tracks.

There is a treatment, and it starts at your dentist’s office. The best solution to periodontitis is regularly seeing your dentist and hygienist for a professional cleaning and evaluation. Here at Tory Hill Dental, we use Air-Flow technology to efficiently and comfortably remove plaque. For tougher calculus, we’ll make sure you’re comfortable when cleaning below the gumline is needed.

Prevention is always the best approach. So to prevent further damage to your gums, bone, and other supportive soft tissue, you may need to schedule professional cleanings more frequently than before.